HISTORY  OF  ST.  MATTHEW'S  PARISH 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 


THE  COLLECTION  OF 
NORTH  CAROLINIANA 


Cp283.09 
H6£m 

c.2 


J 


V.^!m!RSITY  0F  NC'  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00034014968 


■ 


*°"»  /Vo. 


*?7 


A  SERMON-SKETCH 


OF  THE 


HILLSBGRO,  N.  C, 
Delivered  by  the  Rector, 

REV.  JOSEPH  W.  MURPHY, 


IN 


ST.  MATTHEW'S  CHURCH, 


ON 


SUNDAY,  ST.  MATTHEW'S  DAY,  SEPTEMBER  21ST, 


AND  ON 


SUNDAY,  OCTOBER  5TH,  1890. 


Washington,  D.  C. 

1900, 


LlUCw 

?  £  «4iay .         J  <**jU&f  &  Uz     &/,    <*#*    «/h 

/.  cw.  <&^  ^  ^  ^  *4^7  1c*. .    ^*^ 


\My  %Cojl.  WU&   4L>^i>u^<.f 


^h^Y    &*^    4 


U 


(/lie**-    &J~  %jl,    aww      3/^JC    ?>-a^     ^L<>   f^aZfeZ^. 

<bL*  %^4  bnJL  I  ^  /try  <f~  ^ff)u.  Vhdtf^   tr£d  4 

<w«?  v  /^v     fiuih*,  liLjL  ^2  l>+  A 

/  CvtUuZ  o&a  %4t  L^ju  b*.  £nZJIa  t  t 

U<l\   •         «6    J  !Uv«.    **>**-  &%6l    "X^A^ru,  *~  Lot 

OsmZIL  ft  fy.  dhiL  (W^  ^  ***4r  ^ 


A  SERMON-SKETCH 


OF  THE 


HILLSBORO,  N.  C, 
Delivered  by  the  Rector, 

REV.  JOSEPH  W.  MURPHY, 

IN 

ST.  MATTHEW'S  CHURCH, 

ON 

SUNDAY,  ST.  MATTHEW'S  DAY,  SEPTEMBER  21ST, 

AND  ON 

SUNDAY,  OCTOBER  5TH,  1890. 


Washington,  D.  C, 
1900. 


£CJg^ 


?  df 


oT 


IN  MEMORY 

OF  THE  LION-HEARTED  BISHOP  RAVENSCROFT, 

AND  OF  THE  GENTLE  BISHOP  GREEN, 

THE    ST.    PETER    AND    THE    ST.    JOHN 

OF  OUR  AMERICAN  EPISCOPATE 

IN  THE  SOUTH. 


SERMON-SKETCH 

OF  THE 

HISTORY    OF    ST.    MATTHEW'S    CHURCH, 

HlLLSBORO,  N.  C. 

S3 

PART  ONE. 

YOUR  attention  is  asked  to-day,  brethren,  St.  Matthew's 
Day,  to  an  historical  sketch,  in  part,  of  our  parish,  St 
Matthew's,  with  some  allusion  to  chapels  and  other  missions  at 
times  connected  with  it/  St.  Matthew's  Church,  Hillsboro, 
Orange  County,  N.  C,  was  organized,  or  rather  re-organized, 
as  a  parish  in  1824.  Its  history,  the  steps  leading  up  to  its 
organization,  and  the  steps,  halting  but  real,  since  that  time  is 
our  subject ;  its  history,  however,  not  merely  as  a  congregation, 
but  as  a  part  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  North  Carolina, 
governed  by  a  Bishop  and  trained  by  him  with  the  help  of 
Priests  and  Deacons,  in  the  ways  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Primi- 
tive Church,  who  were  taught  by  the  Apostles  of  our  Lord, 
Jesus  Christ. 

We  will  not  go  back  to  the  times  of  the  first  organization 
here  in  the  old  colonial  times  before  the  Revolution,  when 
devout  men  of  the  Church  of  England  worshipped  together  in 
the  old  borough.  Nor  will  we  try  to  seek  in  the  history  of  the 
sad  downfall  of  parishes  here  in  North  Carolina  as  in  Virginia 
and  elsewhere  (in  consequence  of  political  complications  and 
misunderstandings),  a  probable  picture  of  the  downfall  here. 
Sufficient  it  is  to  know  that  there  was  such  a  parish,  and  that 
it  ceased  to  exist ;  and  that  though  great  was  the  downfall, 
for  a  time,  of  the  daughter  of  the  Church  of  England  in 
America,  and  especially  in  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas,  in 
consequence  of  the  want  of   organization,  and  the  difficulty 

5 


6 

(because  of  prejudice)  in  getting  organization,  still  the  time 
came  when  difficulties  were  removed,  opposition  lessened, 
parishes  and  dioceses  were  officered,  and  the  work  went  on  as 
never  before  in  its  unorganized  condition.  Nor  will  we  try  to 
grope  through  the  sad  traditio?is  of  the  times  succeeding  the 
destructive  and  demoralizing  War  of  the  Revolution,  though 
I  doubt  not  there  was  much  that  was  good  even  in  those  times 
here  in  old  Orange,  else  there  would  hardly  have  been  in  1824 
so  abundant  material  as  there  seems  to  have  been  to  revive  the 
parish  so  successfully  and  on  so  good  and  sound  a  basis.  But 
we  will  go  back  a  few  years  before  the  organization  in  1824,  to 
pick  up  a  few  interesting  items  preparatory  to  that  so  important 
an  event  in  the  life  of  the  organizers,  and  so  important  for 
their  successors.  In  picking  out  these  items,  and  others  of 
later  date,  I  examine  carefully,  as  few  can  spare  time  to  do, 
many  Journals  and  Records. 

In  the  Journal  of  the  first  Convention  of  the  Diocese  of 
North  Carolina,  held  in  181 7  in  Newbern,  there  is  nothing 
about  Hillsboro  or  the  Church  in  Orange  County.  That  Con- 
vention consisted,  I  may  say,  however,  simply  as  a  matter  of 
curiosity,  of  but  three  clergymen,  Messrs.  Judd  of  Fayetteville, 
Empie  of  Wilmington,  and  Clay  of  Newbern,  and  six  laymen 
from  those  parishes  and  Edenton.  The  deputy  from  this  last 
was  Josiah  Collins,  Jr.,  the  father  of  one  of  the  most  devoted 
laymen  the  Church  in  North  Carolina  has  ever  had.  At  that 
convention  it  was  resolved  properly  to  place  the  Church  under 
the  care  of  Bishop  Moore  of  Virginia. 

The  Convention  of  18 18  was  held  in  Fayetteville.  At 
this  convention  it  will  be  to  us  of  this  parish  worthy  of  note 
that  among  others,  John  A.  Cameron  and  Dr.  Armand  J.  De 
Rosset  were  present  as  lay  deputies.  Now  comes  this  record, 
which  will  interest  those  who  are  disposed  to  help  their  minis- 
ter in  putting  up  a  chapel  with  the  same  name,  not  indeed  in 
the  same  neighborhood  but  still  in  connection,  as  that  was, 
with  Hillsboro,  though  more  closely  and  really,  we  will  hope, 
than  that  was  : 

' '  A  Church  having  been  organized  in  Orange  County  by  the 
name  of  St.  Jude's  Church  (at  the  Union  meeting  house  near 
Stoney  Creek),  and  application  being  made  by  the  same  to  be  re- 


ceived  into  union  with  our  convention,  Resolved  unanimously, 
that  the  same  be  admitted.  Whereupon,  Robert  Davis,  pre- 
senting the  certificate  of  his  appointment  as  a  lay  delegate  from 
said  church,  was  admitted  as  such  to  a  seat  in  the  convention." 
As  to  location  of  this,  said  Bishop  Green  to  me  in  a  letter  dated 
March  5,  1882,  "  My  only  visit  to  St.  Jude's  Chapel  was  in  1823 
or  '4.  And,  at  this  time,  my  memory  would  not  justify  me  in 
saying  anything  more  as  to  its  location  than  that  that  it  was 
somewhere  in  the  Hawfields  or  Mebanesville  neighborhood. 
It  was  one  of  the  ante-revolutionary  mission  posts  at  which 
Rev.  Mr.  Micklejohn  used  to  preach  in  conjunction  with  others, 
at  Hillsboro,  St.  Mary's,  Chapel  Hill,  Williamsboro,  &c." 
The  Robert  Davis  who  represented  St.  Jude's  at  this  conven- 
tion (where,  according  to  the  record,  only  four  other  congrega- 
tions were  represented),  was  a  cousin  of  Miss  Arena  and  Miss 
Rachel  L,atta,  who  are  to-day  the  oldest  living  communicants 
of  this  parish,  having  been  confirmed  by  Bishop  Ravenscroft, 
on  May  20,  1826.  Of  Mr.  Davis  we  will  hear  again  as  a  clergy- 
man. Illness  prevented  Bishop  Moore  from  being  present  at 
this  convention,  but  he  sent  word  that  he  would  visit  the 
Diocese  in  the  summer  or  fall. 

The;  Convention  of  18 19  was  heju)  in  Wilmington. 
Robert  Davis  again  represented  St.  Judes' ,  and  was  reported 
(as  was  also  Prof.  Wm.  Hooper,  of  Chapel  Hill)  as  a  candidate 
for  Holy  Orders.  "Duncan  Cameron  of  St.  Mary's  Church, 
Orange  County,"  says  the  Journal,  "was  prevented  from  at- 
tendance at  this  convention  by  a  fall  from  his  horse  which  in- 
jured him  severely. ' '  Though  it  does  not  appear  in  the  record, 
it  seems  from  the  report  of  the  Committee  on  the  State  of  the 
Church  at  the  Convention  of  1 82 1 ,  that  at  this  Convention  of  1 8 1 9 
St.  Mary's  Chapel  was  admitted  into  union  with  the  Conven- 
tion. So  we  have  St.  Jude's  in  1818  and  St.  Mary's  in  1819 
admitted,  both  in  Orange  County  ;  both  old  missions  revived, 
and  both  for  years  grouped  with  Hillsboro.  William  M.  Green, 
the  honored  first  Rector  of  this  parish,  was  present  at  this 
Convention  as  lay  delegate  from  Williamsboro.  Mr.  Hooper 
was  licensed  as  lay  reader  for  St.  Mary's  and  parts  adjacent. 
Of  $826.88  reported  as  offered  during  the  past  year  for  the  mis- 
sionary work   of   the  Church,   $200.00,  came  from    Orange. 


8 

The  Rt.  Rev.  Richard  Charming  Moore,  D.  D.,  Bishop  of  the 
Diocese  of  Virginia,  presided  at  this  Convention  and  preached 
the  opening  sermon. 

The  Convention  op  1820  met  in  Bdenton.  Among  the 
laymen  present  were  Duncan  Cameron  from  St.  Mary's  Chapel, 
Orange  County,  and  William  Hooper,  candidate  for  Holy  Orders 
and  lay  reader  at  that  chapel.  Judge  Cameron  was  a  member 
of  the  Committee  on  the  State  of  the  Church.  He  was  also 
elected  delegate  to  the  General  Convention  from  this  Diocese. 
He  was  also  chairman  of  a  committee  on  revision  of  the  canons. 
Mr.  John  Davis,  brother  of  Robert  Davis,  (both  of  Orange 
County,  and  both  from  St.  Jude's,)  was  admitted  as  candidate 
for  Holy  Orders.  William  Hooper  and  Thomas  Wright  were 
ordained  deacons  during  the  Convention,  and  Rev.  Richard  S. 
Mason  priest,  on  Sunday,  April  30th,  by  Bishop  Moore,  who 
presided  over  the  Convention  and  gave  an  address  at  the  close. 
So  Messrs.  Hooper  and  Wright  were  the  first  deacons  ordained 
in  North  Carolina,  and  the  late  Dr.  Mason  of  Raleigh,  so  well 
known  and  highly  honored,  the  first  priest,  the  date  being 
1820  and  the  place  old  St.  Paul's  Church,  Kdenton.  At  this 
Convention  the  Rev.  John  Phillips,  Rector  of  the  Church  in 
Tarboro  (then  called  Trinity  Church),  reports  during  the  year 
having  visited,  among  other  places  outside  of  his  own  parish, 
Hillsboro,  and  Judge  Cameron's  Chapel,  each  once.  This 
chapel,  not  yet  finished,  is  mentioned  the  first  time.  Rev.  G. 
T.  Bedell  of  Fayetteville,  father  of  the  aged  Bishop  Bedell, 
lately  retired  from  active  service  in  Ohio,  reports,  in  these  words, 
some  missionary  work  of  his  :  "In  the  course  of  last  summer, 
when  absent  from  Fayetteville,  being  recovered  from  indispo- 
sition, the  Rector  of  this  church  spent  time  in  Orange  County, 
administered  the  Communion  once  and  preached  3  times  in 
St.  Mary's  Chapel,  also  administered  the  Sacrament  of  Bap- 
tism ;  preached  once  at  St.  Jude's  Parish,  Stoney  Creek,  in 
the  Union  Meeting  House,  to  a  large  and  attentive  congre- 
gation. Also  preached  on  Sunday  and  several  week  even- 
ings in  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Hillsboro,  kindly  offered 
by  its  pastor,  Rev.  John  Witherspoon.  I  baptized  in  Or- 
ange County  9  children  and  married  one  couple."  This 
is  the  first  time  that    services    are    mentioned    as    held    in 


9 

Hillsboro,  that  is,  during  conventional  year  1819  to  1820, 
by  Messrs.  Phillips  and  Bedell.  Bight  of  the  9  baptized 
by  Mr.  Bedell  were  at  the  house  of  Thomas  Latta, 
four  miles  from  Hillsboro,  and  were  recorded  in  the  family 
Bible  by  him  and  witnessed  by  Geo.  W.  B.  Burgwin.  They 
were  also  recorded  in  the  old  Register  of  this  Parish,  by  one 
whom  I  am  proud  to  call  my  old  friend,  Mr.  Prout,  as  copied 
from  a  register  kept  by  Rev.  Wm.  M.  Green.  The  L,atta 
family  Bible  with  its  interesting  records  can  be  seen  now  in 
good  preservation,  in  the  very  room  where  in  18 19  those  chil- 
dren were  baptized,  and  two  of  the  young  people  then  present 
still  live  there  and  remember  it.  Let  me  close  this  record  of 
the  Convention  of  1820  with  a  few  of  good  Bishop  Moore's 
words  :  "The  set  time  in  which  God  will  have  mercy  upon 
Zion  appears  to  have  arrived.  The  night  has  indeed  been 
long ;  the  tempest  in  which  the  Church  has  been  involved  has 
been  truly  terrible,  but  the  sun  has  arisen  upon  us  and  dissi- 
pated, our  darknesss.  The  clouds  of  desolation  and  ruin  are 
dispelled  from  the  heavens,  and  the  voice  of  joy  and  gladness 
is  again  heard  in  our  temples." 

The  Convention  of  1821  met  in  Raleigh,  Saturday, 
April  28TH,  business  meetings  being  held  in  the  Supreme  Court 
room,  Bishop  Moore  again  presiding  and  preaching  the  open- 
ing sermon,  and  also  making  an  address  at  the  close.  Lay 
delegates  present,  whose  names  will  interest  many  here,  were 
Dr.  A.  J.  De  Rosset,  Duncan  Cameron  from  St.  Mary's,  Robert 
Davis  from  St.  Jude's,  William  M.  Green,  John  A.  Cameron 
and  William  Cameron.  During  the  Convention,  on  Sunday, 
April  29th,  Messrs.  Robert  Davis  and  Wm.  M.  Green  were 
ordained  deacons,  the  one,  delegate  from  St.  Jude's  ;  the  other, 
soon  to  be  first  Rector  of  St.  Matthew's.  In  this  Journal  ap- 
pears the  first  formal  report,  though  very  defective,  of  the  con- 
dition of  St.  Mary's,  it  being  made  by  Rev.  William  Hooper,  a 
deacon,  and  nothing  being  said  of  the  number  of  commu- 
nicants. Of  missionary  collections  made  in  the  diocese  $6.00 
came  from  St.  Jude's.  Nothing  said  as  to  the  rest  of 
Orange.  Rev.  Mr.  Wright  reported  preaching  4  times 
at  St.  Jude's,  and  Mr.  Hooper  once  at  St.  Jude's  and  once 
in    Hillsboro.      Mr.  Wright   baptised   1    child  at  St.  Jude's 


10 

and  i  at  Haw  River.  Robert  Johnson  Miller,  before  that 
time  a  minister  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  was,  during  this  Con- 
vention, on  Tuesday,  May  ist,  ordained  by  Bishop  Moore  deacon 
and  priest,  one  service  being  in  the  morning,  the  other  in  the 
evening.  The  Bishop  also  confirmed  49.  Rev.  R.  S.  Mason, 
chairman  of  the  Committee  on  the  State  of  the  Church,  reported 
thus  encouragingly  :  "But  not  only  has  the  Church  obtained 
an  outward  degree  of  prosperity  altogether  unlooked  for,  but 
also,  we  have  reason  to  think,  the  principles  and  practices  of 
true  and  genuine  piety,  have  acquired  and  are  still  acquiring 
additional  influence  in  our  Communion ;  a  desire  for  being 
Christians  in  deed  and  in  truth  ;  a  hungering  and  thirsting 
after  righteousness  is  more  and  more  prevailing,  and  may  God 
of  His  mercy  finish  the  work  He  has  commenced."  L,et  us 
end  the  record  of  this  Convention  with  an  extract  from  Bishop 
Moore's  closing  address:  " The  proposition  which  has  been 
made  to  this  Convention  by  a  portion  of  the  L,utheran  Church 
in  this  State  is  calculated  to  excite  our  warmest  gratitude  to 
God.  It  proclaims  in  language  which  cannot  be  misunder- 
stood the  confidence  they  place  in  our  integrity  and  the  prefer- 
ence they  give  to  our  religious  institutions.  The  door  which 
has  been  opened  for  the  reception  of  the  messenger  into  our 
bosom,  who  conveyed  to  us  their  proposals,  forms  an  event  of 
a  most  imposing  character.  In  a  point  from  which  we  appre- 
hended some  difficulty  there  has  no  difficulty  arisen,  and  we 
have  sent  him  back  to  the  people  of  his  charge  clothed  with  that 
ministerial  authority  required  by  our  Communion,  our  fellow- 
labourer  in  the  Gospel,  our  friend,  our  brother.  If  the  Lutheran 
ministers  and  congregations,  by  whom  he  has  been  deputed  to 
attend  upon  our  proceedings,  breathe  the  same  sentiments 
which  warm  my  heart ;  if  they  possess  the  same  desire  to  effect 
as  perfect  and  entire  an  union  as  hath  been  exemplified  in 
their  representative  it  cannot  be  long  before  that  union  will  be 
completed.  We  shall  then  form  one  fold  under  one  shepherd, 
meet  around  the  same  altar,  constitute  one  household,  Jesus 
Christ  Himself  the  Bishop  of  our  souls."  Directly  after  this 
Convention  of  1821,  the  Rev.  Adam  Empie  visited  the  Latta 
family  near  Hillsboro,  and  on  Saturday  the  5th  of  May  bap- 
tized a  child  in  the  same  room  where  Mr.   Bedell,  eighteen 


11 

months  before,  had  similarly  officiated.  Mr.  Robert  Davis, 
who  had  been  ordained  deacon  a  few  days  before,  was  with 
him  and  signed  in  the  family  Bible  as  witness  to  the  baptism. 
As  Mr.  Davis  was  from  St.  Jude's,  it  is  probable  that  one  or 
both  officiated  there  on  Sunday.  On  December  16th  follow- 
ing, Mr.  Davis  baptized  the  wife  and  child  of  Joseph  H.  L,atta, 
who  still  survives  in  his  97th  year.  In  the  following  year  he 
baptized  another,  the  record  of  all  these  being  in  the  same 
very  interesting  old  family  Bible. 

In  1823  Robert  King  was  appointed  to  solicit  funds  from  the 
people  of  St.  Jude's  for  the  Diocesan  Missionary  Society. 

Now,  not  having  the  Journals  for  1822,  1823  and  1824  (which 
are  all  I  lack  of  having  a  complete  set),  we  pass  on  necessarily 
to  1825,  in  the  Journal  for  which  year  we  have  the  record  of  the 
organization  of  this  parish  and  its  admission  to  Convention. 
But,  during  this  interval  (and  it  should  not  be  passed  over  with- 
out special  remark)  comes  the  election  and  consecration  of  John 
Stark  Ravenscroft  as  the  first  Bishop  of  North  Carolina,  the 
election  being  during  the  Diocesan  Convention  of  1823  held  in 
Salisbury,  and  his  consecration  a  few  weeks  later,  during 
General  Convention,  on  May  22d,  in  Philadelphia,  by  Bishop 
White,  assisted  by  Bishops  Griswold,  Kemp,  Croes,  Bowen 
and  Brownell.  This  I  take,  only  correcting  the  date  and 
writing  May  instead  of  April,  from  the  Memoir  prefixed  to 
Bishop  Ravenscroft' s  Works,  prepared  by  Walker  Anderson, 
or  by  him  and  W.  M.  Green  together.  Mr.  Anderson  took 
part  in  the  foundation  of  this  parish,  as  we  will  see  presently, 
and  was  a  communicant  in  it  until  1836,  then  removing  and 
afterwards  becoming  Chief  Justice  of  Florida.  This  memoir  is 
well  worth  careful  reading,  as  is  also  a  very  interesting  sketch 
of  the  life  of  the  Bishop,  in  the  ' '  American  Church  Review ' ' 
for  January,  1871,  prepared  by  Bishop  Green,  who  was  Rector 
here  during  Bishop  Ravenscroft' s  episcopate,  was  chiefly  in- 
strumental in  having  him  elected,  and  thoroughly  appreciated 
that  brave  and  good  old  man,  who  came  to  the  Diocese  in  a  try- 
ing time  and  left  his  mark  on  it  in  a  way  which  was  painful  to 
himself,  but  necessary  ;  for  Bishop  Ravenscroft,  brethren,  had, 
under  a  somewhat  rough  exterior,  much  that  was  very  gentle. 
Says  Bishop  Green,  who  surely  was  a  judge  of  what  is  gentle 


12 

inhuman  nature:  "Under  all  this  lion's  hide  there  beat  a 
truly  kind  and  loving  heart,  and  well  does  the  writer  remem- 
ber, as  though  it  were  but  yesterday,  almost  the  last  words 
uttered  by  that  dear  man,  a  day  or  two  before  his  death  : 
'  Brother  Green,  I  have  been  a  rough  creatur  (as  he  often 
purposely  pronounced  that  word),  but,'  he  added  with  deep 
feeling,  and  striking  his  broad  breast,  '  God  knows  there  was  no 
roughness  here. ' ' ' 

The  first  Convention  of  this  Diocese  at  which  the  Bishop 
presided  was  the  one  of  1824,  to  which  I  am  not  able  to  refer. 
It  was  in  the  summer  of  that  year,  sixty-six  years  ago,  that  our 
parish  was  organized.  I  give  the  record  of  it  which  is  pre- 
served in  the  old  Parish  Register,  copied  there  by  one  of  the 
greatest  missionaries  of  the  Diocese,  though  one  of  the  hum- 
blest of  men,  Rev.  Henry  H.  Prout,  from  Mr.  Green's  register  : 

"  Hillsborough,  Aug.  23rd,  1824.. 
' '  We  whose  names  are  subscribed  do  hereby  form  ourselves 
into  a  congregation  to  be  known  by  the  name  of  St.  Matthew's 
Church,  and  we  do  also  hereby  promise  conformity  to  the  con- 
stitution and  canons  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  as  es- 
tablished by  General  Convention  of  the  same. 

"  Eliza  Estes,  Mary  P.  Ashe,  Elizabeth  Ashe,' Mary  R. 
Anderson,  Sally  Grove,  William  Harwood,  Ann 
Ruffin,  P.  R.  Anderson,  Ann  O.  Cameron,  Thomas 
Ruffin,  Josiah  Turner,  Stephen  Moore,  William  Cain, 
Jr.,  William  Barry  Grove,  Robina  Norwood,  Benj. 
B.  Blume,  Francis  L,.  Hawks,  Elizabeth  Norwood, 
Walker  Anderson,  Emily  Hawks,  T.  L,atta,  Thomas 
Carney,  W.  E.  Anderson,  Thomas  J.  Faddis,  Eliza- 
beth L,atta  (mother),  Mary  L,atta,  Jonathan  P.  Sneed, 
Elizabeth  Latta  (daughter),  Ellen  L,atta,  N.  Hoston, 
Catherine  Hoston. ' ' 

Most  of  these  names  are  very  familiar  to  all  of  the  older 
members  of  this  congregation,  and  some  of  them  are  to  all.  On 
the  same  day  Messrs.  William  Norwood,  Thomas  Ruffin,  Jon- 
athan Sneed,  Francis  I,.  Hawks  and  Walker  Anderson  were 
elected  as  the  first  vestry  of  the  parish. 

The  Convention  of  1825  Met  in  Washington.  Bishop 
Ravenscroft  and  8  of  his  clergy  were  present  and  21  of  the  laity, 
representing  13  parishes.  Mr.  Green  applied  for  admittance  of 
St.  Matthews',    Hillsboro,  into  union  with  the  Convention, 


13 

which  was  granted,  and  Thomas  Carney  received  as  a  delegate 
therefrom.  The  Bishop  reported  having  confirmed  69  in  the 
Diocese  during  the  year.  He,  as  Rector  of  Christ  Church, 
Raleigh,  reported  22  communicants  there.  By  the  clergy  were 
reported  communicants  in  Wilmington  146,  in  Newbern  70, 
Kdenton  30,  Elizabeth  City  4,  Wadesboro  18,  Salisbury  6, 
Christ  Church,  Rowan,  58,  Milton  3,  St.  Mary's,  Orange 
County  34  (Hillsboro  and  St.  Jude's  not  mentioned),  Washing- 
ton 14,  3  chapels  near  there  31,  in  all  436.  Fayetteville  how- 
ever is  not  included.  The  Hillsboro  communicants  were 
counted,  I  suppose,  with  those  at  St.  Mary's.  I  know  of  no 
old  list  of  communicants  at  St.  Mary's  previous  to  1841.  Mr. 
Green,  whose  residence  in  1825  was  at  Williamsboro,  re- 
ported as  to  Hillsboro  that  "  a  congregation  has  been  formed, 
and  a  neat  and  commodious  house  of  worship  commenced, 
which  will  be  completed  during  the  ensuing  summer."  "  At 
St.  Mary's,"  he  added,  "  an  earnest  attention  to  the  services  of 
the  church  still  continues.  There  have  been  two  or  three 
deaths  in  the  congregation,  but  several  have  been  added.  The 
number  of  communicants  (34)  is  considerably  greater  than  was 
reported  at  the  last  Convention  ;  but  this  is  principally  attrib- 
utable to  a  mistake  in  the  former  report."  The  Bishop,  in  his 
address,  said,  "At  St.  Mary's  Chapel,  Orange  County,  I  read 
prayers  and  preached  on  the  nth  of  September,  according  to 
previous  appointment ;  but,  owing  to  continued  rain,  to  only  4 
persons.  In  the  evening  I  preached  in  the  Methodist  house  of 
worship  in  Hillsboro  to  a  very  attentive  congregation.  Sunday, 
the  12th  of  September,  after  baptizing  an  infant  in  Hillsboro,  I 
proceeded  to  St.  Mary's  Chapel,  where  a  good  congregation 
attended,  and  where  I  preached  and  administered  the  Holy 
Communion."  And  again,  speaking  of  Mr.  Green's  removal 
to  Hillsboro,  he  said,  "The  Church  in  Hillsboro  has  been  or- 
ganized under  the  most  flattering  prospects,  and  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Green  called  to  take  charge  there,  at  St.  Mary's  and  at  Judge 
Cameron's,  who,  with  a  laudable  zeal  for  the  spiritual  interests 
of  his  own  large  family  and  of  the  neighborhood,  has  erected  at 
his  own  expense  a  handsome  and  commodious  building,  which 
will  be  ready  for  consecration  this  summer,  together  with  the 
new  church  in  Hillsboro.     I  reached  St.  Jude's  in  time  for  my 


14 

appointment  there  on  the  5th  and  6th  of  October,  on  both 
which  days  I  officiated  to  good  and  attentive  congregations  ; 
and  I  heartily  wish  that  some  means  could  be  devised  to  pro- 
vide occasional  services  at  least  for  this  small  body  of  Episco- 
palians, who  stand  firm,  though  exposed  to  much  temptation 
to  abandon  the  cause." 

We  have  now  reached  the  time  when  the  way  was  open  for 
the  Church  in  Hillsboro  to  go  on  according  to  its  good  begin- 
ning and  do  its  duty  as  a  part  of  the  Church  in  North  Carolina, 
and  the  Convention  showed  its  trust  in  its  willingness  to  take 
its  share  of  the  burden  by  laying  an  assessment  for  the  Bishop's 
salary  on  St.  Matthew's,  St.  Mary's  and  St.  Jude's  together,  of 
$60,  and  on  St.  Matthew's,  additional,  for  contingent  expenses 
of  the  Convention,  $15.  Hear  now  some  weighty  words  of 
Bishop  Ravenscroft  at  this  Convention  of  1825,  the  first  at 
which  our  parish  was  represented  :  "  Dividing  the  diocese  into 
three  sections,  running  from  North  to  South,  it  is  evident  that 
the  present  strength  of  the  Church  is  in  the  Bast.  The  prin- 
ciples of  the  Church  are  there  better  understood,  more  heartily 
received,  and  more  unhesitatingly  acted  on  ;  and,  so  far  as 
human  judgment  is  permitted  to  act,  there  is  a  greater  degree 
of  liveliness,  a  deeper  interest  manifested  for  the  purity  and 
consistency  of  faith  and  practice.  In  the  middle  section  the 
state  of  things  is  materially  different.  The  members  of  the 
Church  are  not  generally  as  fixed  and  decided  in  their  prin- 
ciples as  Churchmen  ;  and,  consequently \  less  interest  is  felt  and 
manifested  for  the  particular  doctrines  which  distinguish  their 
profession.  This,  however,  is  not  to  be  wondered  at.  They 
have  had  less  opportunity  to  be  reminded  of  their  distinctive 
doctrines,  fewer  occasions  to  call  them  into  action,  and  a  more 
extended  preposession  of  the  public  mind  to  conflict  with,  there 
being  for  a  long  period  but  two  clergymen  in  the  whole  section, 
and  one  of  these  decidedly  hostile  to  the  principles  of  the 
Church.  I  am  happy,  however,  to  be  able  to  state  that  the 
principles  of  the  Church  and  of  pure  religion  are  gaining 
ground  among  the  members,  of  whom  there  are  not  a  few,  whose 
zeal  is  coupled  with  knowledge,  and  whose  faith  is  manifested 
by  their  works  ;  and,  in  general,  more  consideration  is  given  to 
the  subject,  and  a  stop,  in  great  measure,  put  to  the  deleterious 


15 

notion,  nitherto  so  prevalent,  that  it  is  a  matter  of  entire  indif- 
ference what  profession  of  religion  a  man  adopts."  And  from 
the  Bishop's  charge  delivered  at  the  close  of  the  Convention  a 
few  extracts  are  well  worthy  of  our  attention.  Speaking  in  all 
solemnity  to  the  clergy  and  laity  present  representing  the 
Church  in  North  Carolina  (over  which  the  Church  in  the 
United  States  had  placed  him)  of  various  causes,  remote  from 
general  observation,  which  operated  injuriously  to  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  Church,  and  which,  said  he,  "are  in 
the  reach  of  a  remedy,  and  which  it  is  our  joint  duty 
to  endeavor  to  remove,"  he  spoke  thus  of  one  of  these 
causes  :  ' '  The  first  is  want  of  information  in  the  people  at 
large,  and  in  too  great  a  degree  among  those  of  our  own  commun- 
ion, on  the  distinctive  character  of  the  Church  of  Christ  and  the 
obligations  which  thence  follow  to  man  thus  furnished  with  this 
means  of  grace.  That  it  exists  in  a  very  extensive  and  injurious 
degree,  is  a  point  which  needs  no  proof ;  it  being  the  daily  ex- 
perience of  most  of  those  who  hear  me.  And  while  it  can  be 
accounted  for  very  satisfactorily,  in  my  opinion,  it  is  from  the 
causes  producing  it  that  we  shall  best  learn  what  is  most 
proper  to  counteract  it.  We  have  then,  but  to  direct  our  at- 
tention to  the  state  of  things  produced  by  the  downfall  of  the 
church  at  the  period  of  our  revolution,  and  to  what  has  fol- 
lowed progressively  since  until  within  a  very  few  years,  to 
find  ample  means  of  accounting  for  this  state  of  the  public 
mind.  The  Episcopal  Church,  never  very  strong  in  this  State, 
was  reduced  by  that  great  event  to  a  state  of  actual  silence. 
Political  feelings  were  associated  with  its  very  name,  which 
operated  as  a  complete  bar  to  any  useful  or  comfortable  exer- 
cise of  duty,  by  the  very  few  clergymen,  perhaps  not  more 
than  three  or  four,  who  were  left.  The  public  instruction  of 
the  people  in  religion  fell  exclusively  into  other  hands,  pre- 
cluded from  treating  with  any  precision  that  branch  of  Chris- 
tian edification  which  refers  to  the  unity  of  the  Church  of 
Christ,  its  distinctive  character  and  religious  purpose,  and  to 
the  authority  of  the  Christian  ministry  as  an  integral  part  of 
that  system  of  faith  and  order  revealed  in  the  Gospel.  It  is 
not  to  be  wondered  at  then,  my  brethren,  that  these  doctrines 
as  held  by  the  Episcopal  Church  should  gradually  lose  their 


16 

impression  on  those  who  entertained  them,  be  lost  sight  of  by  the 
people-at-large,  and  at  length  be  forgotten  ;  and  that  a  prescrip- 
tion of  forty  years  should  possess  an  influence  difficult  to  dislodge 
from  the  minds  of  those  who  have  been  taught  to  view  everything 
relating  to  the  external  order  of  the  Church  as  unimportant 
and  non-essential.  That  this  is  the  more  general  state  of  the 
public  mind,  I  have  all  the  certainty  which  observation  and 
declared  opinion  can  give  ;  and  the  very  painful  knowledge 
that  many  who  call  themselves  Episcopalians  cherish  such 
every  way  inconsistent  notions,  and  are  farther  led  into 
this  error  by  the  modern  but  erroneous  views  of  charity 
and  liberal  opinions.  While  this  state  of  things  continues 
we  shall  deceive  ourselves  egregiously  if  we  expect  any 
real  or  extensive  increase  of  the  Church  ;  our  numbers 
may  indeed  be  added  to,  but  the  numerical  is  not  al- 
ways the  real  strength,  either  of  tbe  Church  or  of  an  army. 
On  you  then,  my  brethren  of  the  clergy,  will  devolve  the  im- 
perious duty  of  so  framing  and  directing  your  public  ministra- 
tions, as  well  as  your  private  instructions  among  your  respect- 
ive charges,  as  to  embrace  these  long  neglected  but  vital  doc- 
trines, and  to  explain  and  enforce  them,  from  the  word  of  God 
and  the  reason  of  the  thing,  as  parts  of  that  system  of  revealed 
truth,  which  forms  but  one  whole,  and  cannot  be  broken  up  to 
suit  the  particular  notions  of  any  man  or  body  of  men.  But, 
for  your  encouragement,  let  me  remind  you  that  it  is  a  work  of 
necessity,  mercy,  and  charity;  of  necessity,  as  to  the  edification  of 
your  own  flock  ;  of  mercy,  as  to  those  multitudes  who  are  per- 
ishing for  lack  of  knowledge  ;  of  charity,  as  to  those  who  have 
embraced  the  error,  in  presenting  them  with  the  means  of  de- 
tecting and  escaping  from  it.  But  further,  as  you  are  to  de- 
clare the  whole  counsel  of  God,  and  to  keep  back  nothing  that 
is  profitable  to  your  hearers,  so  are  you  bound  by  your  ordina- 
tion vow  to  be  ready,  with  all  faithful  diligence,  to  banish 
and  drive  away  from  the  Church  all  erroneous  and  strange  doc- 
trines contrary  to  God's  word.  Against  this  my  admonition  to 
you,  and  against  your  attention  to  it,  you  must  be  prepared  to 
meet  and  to  disregard  the  odium  attached  to  a  controversial 
spirit ;  because  it  can  in  no  sense  be  made  to  apply  to  the  duty 
every  pastor  owes  to  his  flock,  in  warning  them  against  error, 


17 

however  that  error  may  be  sanctioned  by  others  ;  and  it  is  high 
time  that  this  cunning  method  of  giving  religious  error  time 
to  establish  itself  and  eventually  interdict  the  only  possible 
method  of  refuting  and  overturning  it,  be  resisted.  And  when  it 
is  evident  that  the  operation  of  this  and  similar  deceptive  prin- 
ciples is  gradually  producing  an  indifference,  coldness,  and  dead- 
ness,  to  revealed  religion,  which  indicate  the  temper  predicted 
of  the  latter  day,  it  surely  becomes  the  duty  of  the  ministers  of 
Christ  to  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith,  to  remember  that  they 
are  watchmen  in  Zion,  and  that,  if  they  give  no  warning,  the 
price  of  blood  will  be  required  at  their  hands.  But  it  does  not 
follow,  my  reverend  brothers,  tfyat  in  exposing  error  an  angry 
and  acrimonious  temper  or  style  is  necessary.  No  ;  on  the  con- 
trary it  is  to  be  avoided,  both  for  our  own  sakes  and  the  sake 
of  others  ;  and  the  only  just  objection  to  religious  controversy 
is  the  intemperance  into  which  it  is  too  apt  to  degenerate.  This, 
then,  is  to  be  guarded  against,  while  we  equally  bear  in  mind 
that  the  time  is  come  when  great  plainness  of  speech  is  required, 
if  we  hope  to  rouse  men  to  the  serious  consideration  of  those 
things  which  make  for  their  peace  ;  if  we  would  indeed  draw 
that  line  between  divine  truth  and  human  error,  whereby  all 
may  profit  who  are  disposed  to  come  to  the  light." 

The  Convention  of  1826  met  in  Hieesboro.  Present, 
Bishop  Ravenscroft,  8  of  his  clergy,  Messrs.  Avery,  Green, 
Empie,  Wright,  Pierson,  Brainerd,  R.  S.  Mason  and  H.  M. 
Mason,  and  21  of  the  laity  from  10  parishes.  This  parish  was 
represented  by  Thos.  Ruffin,  William  Norwood,  Francis  L,. 
Hawks  and  James  S.  Smith  ;  St.  Mary's  by  Walker  Anderson 
and  Duncan  Cameron  ;  St.  Jude's  by  Thomas  Davis,  a  brother 
of  Robert  and  John.  The  Bishop  speaks  of  visiting  Hillsboro 
on  way  to  Milton  and  preaching  on  November  3d.  A  little 
later  he  said  :  "  My  next  appointment  being  at  St.  Jude's,  in 
the  county  of  Orange,  I  reached  Mr.  James  Davis's  "  (father  of 
Robert,  John  and  Thomas)  ' '  on  the  2nd  of  December.  On  the 
3rd  met  at  St.  Jude's,  but,  owing  to  wetness  and  coldness  of 
the  day,  only  10  people  attended.  With  these,  however,  I  en- 
gaged in  the  worship  of  God  and  preached  in  the  school  house 
adjoining,  which  afforded  the  accommodation  of  a  good  fire. 
Sunday,  December  4th,  at  St.  Jude's,  again  held  Divine  ser- 


18 

vice  and  preached  to  a  full  house  ;  but  few  of  the  people,  how- 
ever, have  any  knowledge  of,  or  feel  any  interest  in,  the  Church. 
Returned  through  Hillsboro  to  Raleigh."  I^ater  in  spring  of 
1826  the  Bishop  says  :  "  The  congregations  in  Orange  county 
under  the  care  of  Rev.  Mr.  Green,  remaining  to  be  visited,  I 
left  Raleigh  on  the  3rd  of  May  on  that  duty,  and  on  Saturday, 
the  13th,  performed  divine  service,  and  preached  in  the  build- 
ing lately  erected  by  Duncan  Cameron,  Esq.,  near  his  own 
residence,  as  a  place  of  public  worship.  The  house  is  yet  un- 
finished, but  will  in  due  time  be  suitably  accommodated  for  its 
appropriate  uses,  and  will  be  both  a  handsome  and  commodi- 
ous building,  affording  to  the  neighborhood  means  and  oppor- 
tunity for  religious  services,  of  which  they  are  much  in  want. 
On  Sunday,  the  14th,  I  officiated  at  St.  Mary's  Chapel,  con- 
firmed 4  persons,  and  preached  to  a  full  congregation.  In  the 
evening  the  services  were  performed  in  Hillsboro,  in  the 
Female  Academy. ' '  A  few  lines  farther  on  he  says  :  ' '  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Green  has  removed  from  the  charge  of  the  con- 
gregations in  Williamsboro  and  Warrenton,  and  is  now  settled 
in  Hillsboro."  Of  St.  Mary's  Chapel  Mr.  Green  reported  : 
"The  congregation  has,  for  the  past  year,  appeared  to 
be  stationary,  if  not  on  the  decline.  This,  I  believe,  has  been 
caused  by  the  death  of  several  of  the  oldest,  most  influential 
and  long-tried  members  of  the  congregation.  Those  who  had 
clung  to  the  cause  of  the  Church  in  that  quarter,  during  the 
long  season  of  its  depression,  and  who  were  the  first  to  shed 
tears  of  joy  over  the  prospect  of  her  revival,  have  gradually 
been  taken  away  ;  and  the  children  having  been  brought  up  in 
ignorance  of  the  Church,  and  of  the  sanctifying  efficacy  of  its 
ordinances,  are,  for  the  most  part,  indifferent  to  her  interests, 
and  many  of  them  have  strayed  into  strange  pastures." 
Two  baptized ;  4  confirmed ;  17  communicants.  In  Hills- 
boro he  reported  14  baptized,  17  communicants,  and  said 
of  congregation  and  church  :  "  The  congregation  formed 
in  this  place  little  more  than  a  year  ago  have  with  a  com- 
mendable liberality  erected  to  the  worship  of  Almighty  God, 
and  for  the  use  of  the  Church,  the  building  in  which  we  are  now 
assembled."  The  Rev.  Mr.  Wright,  of  Salisbury,  said  that  on 
his  way  to  Convention  in  Hillsboro  he  visited  St.  Jude's,  and, 


19 

said  he,  "  I  officiated  there  to  a  respectable  congregation,  and 
administered  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism  to  i  child.  I  had 
some  conversation  with  the  members  and  friends  of  the  Church, 
who  expressed  an  earnest  desire  for  missionary  services.  If  a 
minister,  say  they,  could  visit  us  twice  a  month,  once  a  month, 
or  even  once  in  two  months,  it  would  rejoice  our  hearts,  and 
we  would  do  what  we  could  towards  his  support."  It  was 
during  the  session  of  this  Convention  of  1826  that  St.  Mat- 
thew'' s  Church  was  consecrated,  on  Sunday  morning ,  May  21st ; 
consecrated  to  the  honor  of  God's  great  name,  separated 
thenceforward  from  all  unhallowed,  ordinary  and  common  uses, 
dedicated  to  His  service  high  and  holy,  for  reading  His  holy 
Word,  for  celebrating  His  Holy  Sacraments,  for  offering  to 
His  Glorious  Majesty  the  sacrifices  of  prayer  and  thanksgiv- 
ing, for  blessing  His  people  in  His  Name,  and  for  the  perform- 
ance of  all  other  holy  offices  authorized  by  the  Church.  It  was 
a  time  surely  of  joy,  holy  joy,  for  the  little  band  then  wor- 
shipping here.  And,  therefore,  very  appropriately  the  Sacra- 
ment of  the  Eucharist  was  the  closing  and  crowning  act  of 
the  morning's  service  which  commenced  with  the  Con- 
secration service  and  was  followed  by  Morning  Prayer 
and  a  sermon.  The  first  words,  brethren,  of  Bishop  Rav- 
enscroft  in  his  address  to  that  Convention  from  this  Chan- 
cel were  :  ' '  With  renewed  and  increased  cause  of  thank- 
fulness to  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church,  and  Disposer  of 
all  events  in  this  world,  to  the  advancement  of  His  pure  and 
undefiled  religion,  we  are  again  permitted,  my  clerical  and  lay- 
brethren,  to  unite  our  counsels  and  our  efforts  to  promote  the 
same  glorious  and  gracious  purpose.  And  as  the  divine  mercy 
is  pleased  to  continue  thus  favorable  to  us,  I  trust  it  will 
prove  an  additional  ground  of  increased  exertion  on  our  part, 
to  give  ourselves  heartily  to  the  fulfilment  of  those  duties  which 
are  entrusted  to  the  representatives  of  the  Church,  by  the  vari- 
ous congregations  in  this  Diocese."  And  at  the  close  of  the 
Convention  the  last  words  of  a  solemn  charge  from  him,  which 
so  pleased  the  Convention  that  a  resolution  was  passed  request- 
ing the  clergy  to  read  it  to  their  congregations  (and  they  ap- 
ply just  as  well  to  us  of  these  days  as  to  them),  were:  "  L,et  not, 
then,  the  church  of  which  we  are  happily  members  have  to 


20 

take  up  the  reproach  of  her  great  Founder  and  Head,  as  ex- 
pressed by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  I  have  nourished  and  brought 
up  children,  and  they  have  rebelled  against  me.  Our  nursing- 
mother  appeals  to  us  for  support ;  let  us  not  prove  ourselves 
unnatural  children  by  devouring  the  breasts  which  we  have 
sucked  and  refusing  the  support  and  defense  which  our  spirit- 
ual parent  requires  in  her  day  of  need.  She  has  given  all  to 
her  children  ;  she  has  reserved  nothing  for  herself,  but  the  com- 
fort and  consolation  which  springs  from  unfeigned  love  and  de- 
voted attachment  in  them,  grounded  on  the  irrefragible  testi- 
mony of  heaven  and  earth  united  in  favour  of  her  divine  origin 
and  saving  purpose,  as  held  and  maintained  by  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  in  these  United  States. ' ' 

Next  Sunday,  God  willing,  without  so  going  into  particulars 
gathered  from  journals  in  order,  we  will  sum  up,  as  concisely 
as  will  be  consistent  with  interest,  the  work  done  in  the  parish 
during  the  time  in  which  it  has  existed  ;  and  may  our  hearts 
be  stirred  to  pray  for  greater  and  greater  blessings  upon  our 
work,  and  that  thousands  yet  unborn  may  in  these  courts  be 
led  to  give  their  hearts  and  lives  to  God. 


21 


PART  TWO. 

I  ask  your  attention  again,  brethren,  to  a  consideration  of 
events  in  the  history  of  our  parish, not  meaning,  however,  as 
before,  to  take  up  the  Journals  for  close  examination  in  course, 
except  for  a  few  years.  That,  while  it  might  be  made  profit- 
able, would  occupy  us  three  or  four  Sundays,  and  would  give 
me  more  of  that  kind  of  work  than  I  feel  willing  to  undertake 
now.  The  early  history  of  the  parish,  too,  required  more  par- 
ticular attenti&n,  and  a  careful  study  of  the  Journals  was  the 
best  way  to  get  at  it. 

We  will  first  take  a  "hasty  view  of  the  Journals  from  182']  to 
1835,  inclusive,  the  last  being  the  date  of  the  second  and  last 
session  of  Convention  in  St.  Matthew's  Church,  Hillsboro. 
The  Convention  op  1827  was  held  in  Newbern.  Bishop 
Ravenscroft  presided.  Bight  of  the  clergy  were  present,  includ- 
ing two — Freeman,  lately  ordained,  and  Green,  who  afterwards 
became  Bishops.  Nineteen  laymen  from  eleven  parishes  were 
present.  Mr.  Green,  Rector  at  Hillsboro,  preached  the  Conven- 
tion sermon.  The  Bishop  reported  visiting  St.  Jude's  and 
preaching  to  a  small  congregation,  but  spoke  very  discour- 
agingly  as  to  the  prospect  for  increase.  The  reason  is  plain. 
He  was  not  able  to  provide  pastoral  attention  for  them,  which 
too  often,  then  and  now,  is  the  reason  why  work  commenced 
fails,  the  offerings  of  God's  people  for  carrying  on  God's  work 
not  pouring  into  God's  treasury,  or  those  who  could  give  work 
as  lay  readers  or  teachers  not  being  willing  thus  to  make  their 
offering.  Said  the  Bishop,  "  their  sole  dependence  for  the  serv- 
ices of  the  Church  is  on  occasional  visits  from  some  of  our 
clergy,  which  are  very  rare  ;  and  on  my  annual  visit  to  them, 
which  is  necessarily  short,  and  confined  as  to  opportunities  for 
private  intercourse.  Notwithstanding  this  unfavorable  state  of 
things,  however,  I  am  gratified  in  being  able  to  state  that  the  at- 
tachment of  the  members  to  the  Church  appears  to  be  more  and 
more  confirmed,  as  they  have  obtained  a  clearer  knowledge  of  her 
character.  These,  however,  are  fast  declining  into  the  vale  of 
years,  and  there  can  be  but  small  expectation  of  retaining  their 
families  steadfast  in  their  profession  without  more  frequent  op- 


22 

portunities  for  religious  instruction  than  they  at  present  possess. ' ' 
So  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  find,  this  is  the  /as/ time  that  St.Jude1  s 
was  visited  by  Bishop,  or  any  other  clergyman,  although  men- 
tioned time  and  again  in  the  table  of  assessment,  being  there 
grouped  with  St.  Matthew's  and  St.  Mary's  at  least  up  to 
1832.  Then,  very  naturally,  it  seemed  to  drop  out  of  existence. 
It  would  be  very  sad  and  dishonorable  to  the  Church  if  many 
such  cases  could  be  found  in  the  records.  I^et  us  hope  and 
pray  that  the  new  St.  Jude's  to  be  built  three  miles  west  from 
here,  being  so  close  to  us,  may  fare  better,  clergy  and  people 
giving  it  their  fostering  care.  St.  Paul's,  Milton,  is  spoken  of 
in  this  Journal  and  some  others  as  ministered  to  four  or  five 
times  a  year  from  Hillsboro,  but  it  too  died  out,  being  too 
far  out  of  the  way,  and  only  lately  is  promising  to  revive  as  a 
congregation  with  the  new  life  springing  up  in  the  town.  The 
Bishop  speaks  of  visiting  and  preaching  in  Judge  Cameron's 
new  Chapel,  not  yet  ready  for  consecration,  and  administering 
the  Holy  Communion.  Then  2  services  at  St.  Marj^'s,  con- 
firming 2,  and  4  services  at  St.  Matthew's,  Hiilsborb,  confirm- 
ing 3.  Mr.  Green  reported  at  St.  Matthew's,  4  baptized,  7 
confirmed,  21  communicants  ;  at  St.  Mary's,  5  baptized,  4  con- 
firmed, 14  communicants  ;  at  Judge  Cameron's,  26  baptized ; 
at  Milton,  2  baptized ;  at  St.  Matthew's  lay-reading  well 
attended,  Sunday  school  promising  well,  the  Rector  being 
helped  in  it — mainly  by  the  teachers  of  his  Female  Seminary. 
This  Convention  of  1827  was  marked  by  an  effort  to  raise  a 
small  Episcopal  fund  sufficient  to  release  the  Bishop  from 
charge  of  a  parish,  so  that  he  could  give  all  his  time  to  his 
Diocese,  which  was  so  growing  as  to  demand  it.  The  Rev. 
Adam  Bmpie  was  appointed  to  prepare  an  address  on  the 
subject  which  was  appended  to  the  Journal,  and  Francis  Iy. 
Hawks  of  this  parish  was  deputed  to  travel  with  the  Bishop 
and  stir  up  an  interest  in  the  matter. 

The;  Convention  of  1828  was  held  in  Fayetteville. 
Bishop  Ravenscroft  presided.  Six  of  the  11  clergy  of  the 
Diocese  were  present,  and  18  of  the  laity  (including  1  from 
Hillsboro  and  1  from  St.  Mary's)  representing  10  parishes. 
I^eonidas  Polk,  afterwards  the  great  Bishop  of  Louisiana,  was 
one  of  the  deputies  from  Raleigh.     The  Bishop  reported  this 


23 

matter  of  interest  to  us:  "The  consecration  of  the  new 
Chapel  in  Orange  County,  built  by  Mr.  Cameron,  of  which 
notice  was  given,  served  to  draw  out  a  larger  collection  of 
people  than  would  otherwise  have  attended.  The  necessary 
deeds  therefore  being  previously  executed,  the  building 
now  neatly  finished,  was  duly  consecrated  to  the  service  of 
Almighty  God,  for  the  use  of  the  members  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church,  by  the  name  of  Salem  Chapel,  on  Sunday, 
October  7th,  last.  On  this  occasion  Twas  assisted  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Wright  of  Salisbury,  and  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Green,  the 
pastor  of  the  congregation."  Speaking  of  St.  Matthew's, 
Hillsboro,  the  Bishop  said,  ' '  It  presents  a  favorable  aspect, 
from  additions  made  to  the  number  of  communicants  on  the 
present  visit,  and  in  the  promise  of  future  increase,  from  the 
pains  taken  in  training  the  younger  members  of  the  Church  in 
the  way  in  which  they  should  go,"  "while  that  of  St.  Mary's 
Chapel,  in  the  vicinity,"  added  he,  "  presents  a  striking  lesson 
of  the  injury  which  is  sure  to  follow  the  neglect  of  this  duty  ; 
the  younger  branches  of  the  old  and  most  established  Episco- 
pal families  (having  wandered  off  into  other  folds,  or  declined 
altogether  from  the  profession  and  practice  of  religion)  have 
left  that  congregation  little  more  than  the  name.  The  services 
nevertheless  are  regularly  performed  there  once  a  month  to  the 
few  who  remain,  but,  as  I  am  given  to  understand,  without 
much  prospect  of  increase. ' '  And  thus,  brethren,  that  congrega- 
tion has  been  served  ever  since,  with  necessarily  very  little  close 
pastoral  oversight,  and  of  course  little  increase,  because  the 
stewards  of  God's  good  gifts  have  withheld  the  offerings  which 
were  due  from  them  to  the  Lord's  treasury,  and  so  the  Bish- 
ops have  not  been  able  to  give  that  congregation  and  many 
others  the  attention  necessary  to  stir  up  real  life  in  them.  St. 
Mary's  was  reported  in  1868  as  no  longer  entitled  to  represen- 
tation as  a  parish.  In  1888  it  was  reorganized  as  a  Mission, 
and  is,  I  trust,  putting  on  new  life,  and  not  merely  the  appear- 
ance of  it.  A  very  few  words  more,  and  I  will  drop  all  refer- 
ence to  this  congregation.  The  records  go  back  only  to  1839. 
Since  that  time  98  have  been  baptized  there  and  so  received 
into  Christ's  flock  and  solemnly  dedicated  to  His  holy 
service.     Forty-two  have   had  the   blessing  of  confirmation, 


24 

taking  upon  themselves  the  vows  of  their  baptism  and  pro- 
fessing their  intention  and  determination,  with  God's  help, 
to  live  the  life  of  Christ.  And  53  have  been  enrolled  as 
communicants,  privileged  at  the  Lord's  Holy  Table  to 
partake  of  the  Holy  Food  provided  for  the  strengthening 
and  refreshing  of  Christ's  people.  So  the  congregation, 
though  a  little  one,  though  known  only  by  name  to  many 
Church  people  in  the  Diocese,  and  little  known  by  some  close 
by,  has  not  existed  for  naught,  and  may  yet  (let  us  hope  and 
pray)  arise  and  flourish,  and  perhaps  in  time  help  to  spread 
the  knowledge  of  Christ  and  the  Church  in  distant  places. 
As  yet  they  are  weak  and  need  the  sympathy,  and  prayers, 
and  alms,  of  the  Church  in  other  places,  and  ought  to  have 
more  services  and  more  pastoral  care  than  a  Rector  of  Hills- 
boro  can  possibly  give  them,  however  strong  and  willing  he 
may  be.  That  congregation  ought,  years  ago,  to  have  been 
joined  to  Salem  Chapel  and  Flat  River  under  a  minister  of  their 
own.  It  is  not  too  late  yet,  but  offerings  for  Diocesan  Mis- 
sions must  be  largely  increased,  if  this  Church,  of  which  our 
parish  forms  a  part,  is  to  do  its  duty  in  answering  the  calls  made 
upon  it  in  our  Diocese  of  North  Carolina. 

A  very  interesting  record  in  the  Bishop's  address  of  this  y&ax 
(1828)  is  that  of  the  ordination  of  Rev.  James  H.  Otey  (afterwards 
Bishop  of  Tennessee)  to  the  Holy  Order  of  Priests,  in  St.  Mat- 
thew's Church,  Hillsboro,  on  Sunday,  June  17,  1827,  on  testi- 
monials from  Christ  Church,  Nashville,  Tenn.  Also  of  Fran- 
cis L,.  Hawks,  one  of  the  founders  of  this  parish,  to  the  Holy 
Order  of  Deacons  in  Newbern,  November  18,  1827.  There  is 
a  very  strong  passage  in  Bishop  Ravenscroft's  address  on  the 
absolute  neeessity  of  strong,  earnest,  personal  religion,  which 
would  be  very  profitable  for  us,  but  we  must  pass  on.  In  Mr. 
Green's  report  we  find  in  Hillsboro,  3  baptized,  2  confirmed, 
26  communicants,  Sunday-school  scholars  44.  Catechumens 
are  regularly  examined  by  the  Rector  one  Sunday  afternoon 
in  each  month  and  continue  more  and  more  to  recommend  the 
zeal  and  fidelity  with  which  they  are  trained.  The  Consecra- 
tion of  Salem  Chapel  he  reports  with  thankfulness.  The 
communicants  he  counts  with  those  of  St.  Mary's.  We  will 
confine  ourselves  hereafter  to  St.  Matthew's. 


25 

The;  Convention  op  1829  met  in  Salisbury  and  was  the 
last  at  which  Bishop  Ravenscroft  presided.  Of  the  1 1  clergy- 
men of  the  Diocese  8  were  present.  Of  the  laity  19  from  7 
parishes.  Ours  not  represented.  Thomas  F.  Davis,  Jr.,  (after- 
wards Bishop  of  South  Carolina)  represented  Wilmington  as  lay 
deputy.  In  immediate  connection  with  the  Bishop's  account 
of  his  visitation  to  Hillsboro  (where  he  was  gratified  and  en- 
couraged by  increasing  religious  impression)  he  said  :  "As  the 
rite  of  confirmation  is  administered  every  year  in  all  our  fixed 
congregations,  and  the  candidates  are  presented  on  the  respon- 
sibility of  their  pastor,  from  personal  examination  of  their 
qualifications,  the  number  cannot  be  so  great  in  any  year,  as  un- 
der other  circumstances  (z.  <?.,  with  less  carefulness)  it  might  be. 
But  it  is  conceived  to  afford  the  greater  confidence,  as  to  the 
actual  increase  of  religious  impression  in  our  Communion,  and 
greater  reliance  upon  the  stability  of  those  who  are  added  to 
the  Church."  William  Norwood  of  Orange  was  reported  by 
the  Bishop  as  just  admitted  a  candidate  for  Holy  Orders,  and  as 
being  in  the  General  Theological  Seminary  in  New  York.  Mr. 
Green  reports  in  Hillsboro,  baptized  19,  confirmed  8,  communi- 
cants 34 ;  Sunday  school  successful ;  children  regularly  cate- 
chised in  the  church  once  a  month  ;  collections  for  Episcopate, 
Contingent  Fund  and  Missions  $92.  The  Bishop  felt  it  neces- 
sary to  say  (not  of  this  parish,  however)  "  it  is  greatly  to  be  la- 
mented that  among  the  non-communicants  so  little  counte- 
nance should  be  giverl  to  the  cause  of  religion,  and  so  very 
weighty  an  objection  presented  to  the  adversaries  of  the  Church 
as  is  furnished  by  the  frequency,  and,  I  fear  I  must  say,  unneces- 
sary neglect  of  her  public  services  by  too  many  of  them." 
Of  course  he  was  speaking  of  persons  who  called  themselves 
Churchmen  or  Episcopalians,  who  were  baptized  into  the 
Church,  trained  in  its  ways,  taught  in  its  Catechism,  and  per- 
haps some  of  them  confirmed  and  so  entitled  to  the  highest 
privileges  of  the  Church. 

The  Convention  of  1830  met  in  Wiemington.  Its  great 
head,  the  lion-hearted  Ravenscroft,  the  brave  Bishop,  the  hum- 
ble man,  lion-hearted  and  brave  as  a  standard-bearer,  as  hum- 
ble as  the  humblest  in  his  estimate  of  himself  as  an  individual 
member  of  Christ's  flock,  had  passed  away,  his  labours  endedi 


26 

on  the  early  morning  of  March  5th.  Rev.  John  Avery  was  made 
President  of  the  Convention.  Of  the  1 1  clergy  of  the  Diocese, 
9  were  present,  and  13  laymen  from  6  parishes.  Three  of  them 
from  Orange,  Walker  Anderson,  William  B.  Anderson,  and 
George  W.  B.  Burgwin.  Immediately  after  organization 
Walker  Anderson  of  this  parish  presented  a  Preamble  and  Res- 
olutions (which  were  unanimously  adopted)  expressing  in  strong 
terms  the  deep  sense  of  loss  experienced  by  the  Church  in  North 
Carolina  in  the  death  of  the  Bishop,  and  showing  a  high  appre- 
ciation of  his  ability  in  the  superintendence  of  his  charge,  and 
of  his  eminent  services  to  his  Diocese.  Mr.  Green  reported  in 
Hillsboro  25  baptized,  communicants  40,  Sunday-school  schol- 
ars 61  ;  tower  added  to  the  church.  Messrs.  Green  and  An- 
derson of  this  parish  were  appointed  a  committee  to  prepare  a 
memoir  of  Bishop  Ravenscroft  to  be  prefixed  to  the  first  vol- 
ume of  the  Bishop's  Works.  Mr.  Anderson  did  most  of  the 
work,  his  Rector  adding  some  personal  reminiscences,  and, 
years  afterwards,  writing  for  the  Church  Review  the  intensely 
interesting  sketch  already  alluded  to.  An  appendix  to  the 
Journal  gives  the  Bishop's  Journal  of  his  visitation  to  the 
churches  in  Tennessee,  June  13  to  July  7,  1829.  In  the  course 
of  it  he  records  meeting  Rev.  John  Davis,  the  same,  I  presume, 
whom  he  had  transferred  in  1825  to  the  Diocese  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  who  had  been  ordained  there  by  Bishop  White. 

The  Convention  of  1831  was  held  in  RaeEigh.  Clergy- 
men present  10,  and  of  laity  27  from  10  parishes — 4  of  these  from 
Hillsboro.  Mr.  Green  reported  in  Hillsboro  11  baptized,  42 
communicants,  2  zealous  lay  readers,  the  Sunday  school  pros- 
pering, William  W.  Spear  was  reported  as  admitted  candidate 
for  Holy  Orders,  and  at  the  General  Theological  Seminary. 
The  Rev.  I^evi  S.  Ives  was  elected  Bishop  of  the  Diocese  on 
Saturday,  May  21st. 

The  Convention  of  1832  was  held  in  Edenton,  Bishop 
Ives,  who  had  been  consecrated  in  Philadelphia  on  September 
21,  1831,  presiding.  Clergymen  present  12,  and  27  laymen  from 
13  parishes,  Walker  Anderson  from  Hillsboro,  Messrs.  Green 
and  Anderson  on  Standing  Committee,  and  Green  and  Duncan 
Cameron  among  delegates  to  General  Convention.  There  had 
been  no  visitation  of  St.  Matthew's  since  May,  1829.     On  Fri- 


27 

day,  October  28th,  Bishop  Ives  reached  Hillsboro,  14  days 
after  his  leaving  New  York  to  come  to  his  Diocese,  8  days 
being  taken  to  reach  Warren  ton,  and  visitations  having  been 
made  there,  at  Williamsboro  and  Salem  Chapel.  On  Saturday 
and  Sunday,  the  29th  and  30th,  he  preached  in  St.  Matthew's 
4  times,  assisted  in  services  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Green  and  Nor- 
wood, administered  the  Holy  Communion  to  between  50  and 
60  persons,  and  confirmed  30  persons,  7  of  whom  were  young 
men  from  Chapel  Hill,  students  in  the  University  of  North 
Carolina.  Four  others  also  were  men.  The  eleven  men  were 
Alexander  Kirkland,  Charles  L,.  Pettigrew,  William  S.  Petti- 
grew,  Julian  E.  Sawyer  (these  last  two  entered  the  ministry), 
John  H.  Haughton,  Richard  B.  Creecy,  Edmund  W.  Jones, 
Thomas  B.  Hill  (our  late  honored  and  loved  Senior  Warden), 
James  B.  Green,  Walter  A.  Norwood  and  George  I/mg.  The 
two  Pettigrews  were  grandsons  of  the  first  Bishop  elect  of  North 
Carolina.  Mr.  Green  reported  baptisms,  adult  11,  infant  10. 
Among  the  adults  baptized  were  Samuel  I.  Johntson,  the  good 
Edenton  parson  of  later  date,  and  Thomas  B.  Hill.  Confirma- 
tions 30,  communicants  60,  contributions  $110.50.  On  the 
Sunday  morning  of  this  Convention  the  Rev.  William  Norwood 
was  ordained  priest.  This  leads  me  to  acknowledge  that,  in  a 
statement  which  I  made  recently,  Mr.  Norwood  was  forgotten  ; 
but,  while  I  say  this,  I  will  say  a  few  words  more  in  explana- 
tion. The  fact  that  others  (who  were  connected  with  the  par- 
ish for  a  time  more  or  less  brief)  had  entered  the  ministry  was 
not  forgotten.  The  point  intended  to  be  pressed  upon  the 
minds  of  the  congregation  was  that  from  among  the  children 
of  the  parish  brought  up  in  the  parish  and  trained  in  the  Church 
there  had  none  been  trained  for  the  ministry  and  given  to  the 
ministry  but  one,  and  that  one  a  son  of  one  of  the  rectors,  Dr. 
Curtis.  Others  of  the  clergy,  whose  names  appear  on  the  reg- 
ister as  baptized,  confirmed  or  communicants  for  a  short  time, 
but  not  brought  up  in  the  parish,  are  William  S.  Pettigrew, 
Julian  E.  Sawyer,  John  H.  Norment,  Samuel  Iredell  Johnston, 
Francis  L,.  Hawks,  Junius  M.  Horner,  and  for  a  long  time,  in- 
cluding part  of  his  boyhood,  William  W.  Spear.  The  only 
ones  then  who  could  be  said  to  have  been  given  to  the  work  of  the 
ministry/row  among  the  children  of  the  settled  members  of  the  par- 


28 

ish  are  the  son  of  a  rector  and  Rev.  Dr.  William  Norwood  in  66 
years.  So,  in  one  respect  surely,  the  parish,  prominent  as  it 
has  been  in  other  respects  and  setting  a  good  example  in  many, 
has  not  done  its  duty  ;  and  there  is  reason  why  we  should  pray 
that  in  the  future  the  dedication  and  the  training  of  its  boys 
may  result  in  something  better.  Before  we  leave  this  subject 
let  us  remember  with  thankfulness  that  poor  little  St.  Jude's, 
the  country  congregation  on  Stoney  Creek,  always  weak  and 
struggling  and  never  having  the  regular  ministrations  of  any 
clergyman  except  the  widely  itinerant  Parson  Micklejohn, 
gave  of  its  children  two  clergymen  to  the  Church,  the  brothers 
Robert  and  John  Davis  ;  the  weakest  of  the  weak  thus  showing 
that  its  life  was  not  for  naught  and  not  to  be  despised. 

The  Convention  oe  1833  met  in  Warrenton.  Bishop 
Ives  and  16  clergymen  were  present,  including  the  Rector  of 
Hillsboro,  Mr.  Green,  and  two  others  who  afterwards  became 
Bishops,  Davis  and  Freeman.  Thirty-six  laymen,  including  2 
from  Hillsboro,  represented  17  parishes.  The  Bishop  had  visit- 
ed Hillsboro  twice  during  the  year.  Mr.  Green  reported  16  bap- 
tized, 8  confirmed,  communicants  58,  catechumens  43,  contribu- 
tions for  diocesan  objects  $132.00.  Rector's  health  feeble  and 
interfering  with  his  work.  Children  catechised  by  the  Rector 
not  only  in  the  school,  but  publicly  in  the  church. 

"Although  the  vestry  are  still  in  debt  to  the  builder  of  the 
church,  it  is  hoped  that  during  the  ensuing  summer  a  new  and 
larger  bell  will  be  procured,  and  a  gallery  erected  for  the  accom- 
modation of  colored  people,  who,  we  are  glad  to  say,  evince  a 
growing  desire  to  attend  the  ministrations  of  our  Church." 
Here  it  is  by  no  means  pleasant  to  add  that  the  evident  earnest 
desire  of  the  rector  (and  his  successors  have  shared  in  it) 
to  do  something  for  that  class  of  people  has  never  borne 
much  fruit ;  for,  it  is  a  sad  fact  that  but  10  of  them,  in  the 
66  years  of  the  life  of  the  parish,  were  entered  on  the  roll 
of  those  entitled  as  communicants  to  the  highest  privileges  of 
the  Church,  bought  though  it  was  out  of  all  nations,  by  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ. 

The  Convention  op  1834  Met  in  Washington. — William 
E.  Anderson  represented  Hillsboro  ;  Prof.  Walker  Anderson, 
Pittsboro  ;  Thomas  B.   Hill,  Scotland  Neck.     Mr.  Green  re- 


29 

ported  in  Hillsboro  18  baptized,  8  confirmed,  communicants  63, 
scholars  in  Sunday  school  31.  "The  congregation  is  grad- 
ually relieving  itself  of  the  burde?i  of  debt  which  has  impeded  its 
progress  from  its  first  organization. ' '  And  ' '  the  Indies'  Work- 
ing Society  have  zealously  undertaken  to  pay  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  church  debt."  This  record  was  written, 
brethren,  ten  years  after  the  church  was  built,  and  shows  that 
slow  returns  to  God  of  what  He  gives  His  children  were  part  of 
the  Church's  history  in  the  days  of  our  fathers  as  well  as  in 
ours.  This  is  not  mentioned  for  our  comfort,  but  rather  to  stir 
us  up  to  leave  no  burdens  for  our  succsssors  which  we  should 
bear  ourselves. 

The  Convention  of  1835  Met  in  Hhxsboro. — It  met 
here  before  in  1826,  but  never  since  1835,  though  several  times 
so  appointed.  The  Bishop  was  not  present,  being  in  Europe 
on  a  journey  for  his  health.  Messrs.  Davis,  Freeman  and 
Green  (all  afterwards  Bishops)  were  present.  Mr.  Green  was 
still  Rector  of  Hillsboro.  Fourteen  other  clergymen  were 
present,  and  among  them  Rev.  Moses  A.  Curtis,  deacon, 
lately  ordained  by  Bishop  Moore.  His  name  thus  for  first 
time  appears.  His  ordination  was  on  Sunday,  May  31st,  in 
Virginia.  He  made  his  appearance  at  the  Convention  here  on 
Thursday,  June  4th,  and  that  night  he  preached  from  this 
chancel.  So  one  of  his  first  sermons,  and  probably  his  very 
first,  was  preached  here,  where  afterwards  he  was  to  preach  so 
many  to  hearers  ready  and  willing  to  hear  him  as  honored 
pastor  and  guide  for  many  years.  Twenty-five  lay  deputies 
were  present,  including  Walker  Anderson,  William  K.  Ander- 
son, George  W.  B.  Burgwin  and  William  Norwood,  of  this 
parish,  Philip  Walker  and  Andrew  Williams,  from  St.  Mary's 
Chapel,  and  Thomas  B.  Hill,  from.  Scotland  Neck.  The 
Bishop's  annual  address  gave  account  of  his  visiting  Hills- 
boro on  June  29,  1834,  accompanied  by  Rev.  Philip  B. 
Wiley,  holding  services  on  Sunday  and  Tuesday,  and 
confirming  5.  I^ater,  on  July  20th,  he  returned,  and  in 
St.  Matthew's  Church  admitted  Samuel  Iredell  Johnston 
and  William  W.  Spear  to  the  Holy  Order  of  Deacons, 
after  prayers  by  Mr.  Green,  sermon  by  Mr.  Freeman,  and 
address  by  himself.     At  night  confirmed  6.     Mr.  Green  reported 


30 

io  baptized  in  Hillsboro,  1 1  confirmed,  communicants  70,  col- 
lections for  Diocesan  Objects  $105.00.  The  condition  of  con- 
gregation promising.  Attendance  on  public  worship  more 
general.  Debt  considerably  reduced.  The  plan  of  IyOrd's  Day- 
offerings  a  means  of  blessing.  "It  has  enabled  us,"  he  said, 
"  to  erect  a  gallery  in  the  church,  to  assist  in  purchase  of  a  new 
bell,  and  to  increase  our  contribution  to  the  missionary  fund. 
If  the  plan  should  be  perseveringly  followed  up"  (that  is, 
this  plan  so  warmly  recommended  by  the  Bishop  with  a  view 
of  drawing  from  the  people  regular,  systematic  weekly  offerings 
freely  given  in  accordance  with  means)  "  it  cannot  fail,  ere  long, 
to  impart  new  health  and  vigor  to  the  congregation."  Mr. 
Green's  Rectorship  was  now  nearing  its  end.  A  glance  at 
three  more  journals  will  finish  our  view  of  it,  as  separate  from 
the  others.  In  1836  he  reported  13  baptized,  none  confirmed, 
68  communicants,  offerings,  $173.00.  The  Church  free  from 
debt,  and  working  to  purchase  an  organ.  The  plan  of  system- 
atic charity  continued  with  success.  In  1837  he  reported  7 
baptized,  5  confirmed,  communicants  67,  offerings,  $113.08.  A 
comfortable  stove  procured.  A  suitable  organ  daily  expected. 
Monthly  catechising  kept  up.  Week  day  lectures  suspended. 
"The  Rector  is  grieved  to  add  that  this  congregation,  which 
was  the  first  to  lead  the  way  in  making  weekly  offerings  for 
the  benefit  of  the  Church,  is  already  evincing  indifference 
on  the  subject."  In  1838,  Mr.  Prout  having  only  lately  taken 
charge  of  Hillsboro,  Mr.  Green,  who  had  become  Professor  of 
Rhetoric  at  Chapel  Hill,  reported  as  late  Rector,  9  baptized,  3 
confirmed,  communicants  66,  offerings,  $94.00.  Weekly  con- 
tributions revived,  and  placed,  as  it  is  hoped,  on  a  more  per- 
manent and  effective  basis.  Thus  ends  the  first  rectorship  of 
this  parish,  one  which  may  well  be  looked  back  to  and  re- 
joiced in  as  one  remarkably  successful  and  blessed.  And  here 
let  it  be  said,  to  the  honour  of  the  parish,  that  (not  counting 
Mr.  Foote,  who  was  in  charge  only  six  weeks,  and  is  not 
mentioned  so  far  as  I  can  find,  either  in  journals  of  Convention 
or  records  of  the  Vestry)  there  have  been  but  six  Rectors  at 
work  in  it,  and  let  the  hope  be  expressed  that  thus  it  may  ever 
be,  ministers  and  people  ready  to  make  allowances  for  one  an- 
other, and  striving  to  work  together  earnestly  and  faithfully 


31 

for  Christ  and  His  Church,  each  and  all  remembering  their  re- 
sponsibility, and  honestly  desirous  to  act  up  to  it  in  loyal  sub- 
mission to  the  laws  of  the  Church.  As  a  rule,  the  Parish  which 
is  continually  changing  its  Rectors,  either  has  not  a  proper 
idea  of  its  responsibility  in  selecting  and  calling  them,  or  has 
become  over  critical  in  its  dealing  with  them,  and  has  forgotten 
the  respect  due  to  the  office  they  hold.  Of  Rectors  who  change 
for  the  mere  love  of  change,  there  is  no  need  of  saying  any- 
thing. 

Now,  before  giving  a  general  stimmary  of  work  accomplished 
in  the  parish,  let  me  note,  very,  briefly,  a  few  items  of  interest 
connected  with  its  history.  In  the  fall  of  1835,  Francis  L. 
Hawks,  the  renowned  orator,  who  had  for  several  years  been 
connected  with  the  parish,  was  elected  by  the  House  of  Bish- 
ops Missionary  Bishop  of  the  South  West.  This  honor,  how- 
ever, he  declined.  In  May,  1839,  Moses  A.  Curtis  was  or- 
dained priest  in  Raleigh.  On  the  29th  or  30th  of  June,  1839, 
Rev.  Henry  Hedges  Prout  was  instituted  as  Rector  of  St. 
Matthew's.  This  is  an  office  which  is  intended  (and  should 
have  that  effect)  to  bind  more  closely  pastor  and  people,  or,  at 
any  rate,  keep  either  from  lightly  wishing  to  break  the  bond. 
Why  it  is  not  more  highly  valued  it  is  hard  to  see.  In  this 
case  the  Rector  was  called  away  to  work,  for  him,  much  higher. 
His  last  record  here  was  May  23,  1841.  Then  he  went  to  the 
mountains,  where  he  was  the  greatest  of  the  Valle  Crucis  mis- 
sionaries. He  lived,  also,  to  do  much  noble  work  in  other 
parts  of  North  Carolina,  in  New  York,  in  Montana  and  in 
Utah.  He  went  to  his  rest  only  a  few  years  ago  in  Salt  L,ake 
City.  Three  of  his  sons  entered  the  ministry.  On  February 
2,  1840,  the  now  venerable  Joseph  B.  Cheshire,  D.  D.,  who  has 
so  often  visited  this  parish,  and  so  enjoyed  his  visits,  was  or- 
dained deacon  in  Raleigh.  He  lately  kept  the  50th  anniver- 
sary of  his  ordination  in  the  region  where  his  whole  ministry 
has  been  spent,  and  where  so  much  good  has  been  done 
through  his  commanding  influence.  At  the  Convention  of  1842 
M.  A.  Curtis  first  appeared  as  Rector  of  St.  Matthew's,  report- 
ing 57  communicants.  The  assessment  on  St.  Matthew's  and 
St.  Mary's  together  was  then  $60.00  ;  the  offerings  of  St. 
Matthew's  for  Diocesan  objects  $125.00.     In  1843  Mr.  Curtis 


32 

reported  organization  of  a  Sunday  school  in  the  country,  at- 
tended to  by  a  few  zealous  members  of  St.  Matthew's.  This 
is  a  kind  of  work  which  might  well  be  done  in  every  parish, 
and  the  Church  is  not  ftclly  doing  its  duty  without  thus  trying 
to  spread  its  influence.  But,  alas  !  too  generally,  it  is  hard  to 
get  steady  workers  sufficient  for  Sunday  schools  in  town.  In 
1846  the  assessment  on  St.  Matthew's  (separate  from  St. 
Mary's)  was  $35.00.  In  1847,  the  last  report  of  Mr.  Curtis, 
shows  communicants  48.  September  5,  1847,  William  R. 
Gries,  from  Valle  Crucis,  was  ordained  deacon  in  St.  Mat- 
thew's. Quinquagesima  Sunday,  1848,  James  B.  Donnelly  (soon 
to  be  Rector  of  Hillsboro)  was  ordained  deacon  in  Raleigh. 
In  1850  Dr.  Green  was  made  Bishop  of  Mississippi.  He  lived 
to  a  good  old  age,  honored  and  loved  by  all,  and  went  to  his 
rest  in  1887.  In  1851,  on  St.  Mark's  Day,  April  25,  your  pres- 
ent minister  was  ordained  Deacon  in  old  St.  Paul's  Church, 
Edenton,  by  Bishop  Ives.  Mr.  Donnelly  reported  here  43 
communicants,  and  offerings  £61.03.  The  assessment 
on  parish  was  $35  for  Episcopal  and  Contingent  Fund, 
$25  for  Missionary  Fund,  and  $12  for  Relief  Fund. 
October  28,  1851  James  G.  Jacocks  was  ordained  to  the 
priesthood  in  St.  Matthew's  Church.  In  1854  Mr.  Donnelly 
reported  to  Bishop  Atkinson,  at  his  first  Convention,  46  com- 
municants and  total  offerings  $117.55.  November  4,  1854, 
your  present  minister  was  ordained  priest  \>y  Bishop  Atkinson, 
in  St.  Peter's  Church,  Washington.  November  1,  1855,  All 
Saint's  Day,  Mr.  Donnelly,  the  Rector  of  the  Parish,  was  buried 
by  the  Rev.  Dr.  J.  T.  Wheat. 

In  1857,  Rev.  Dr.  Moses  A.  Curtis  appears  again  as  Rector 
of  St.  Matthew's.  The  rector}^  I  believe,  was  provided  then. 
In  i860,  Dr.  Curtis  reported  48  communicants  and  contribu- 
tions $278.25.  The  new  St.  Mary's  Chapel  was  consecrated 
November  25,  1859.  Of  this,  said  the  Bishop  :  "The building 
is  a  simple,  but  neat  and  durable  structure  of  brick,  very  much 
needed  in  the  place  of  the  old  and  decayed  church,  but  which 
might  not  have  been  erected  for  years,  if  at  all,  had  it  it  not 
been  for  the  zeal  and  liberality  of  a  venerable  lady  in  the  con-  v' 
gregation  ";  referring  to  Mrs.  Mary  White,  who  died  in  1872,  0 
and  lies  in  our  churchyard.     The  chapel  cost,  as  stated  by  Dr. 


33 

Curtis,  about  $2,000.  In  1864,  Dr.  Curtis  reported  in  Hills- 
boro  65  communicants  and  contributions  in  Confederate  money 
$8,850.45.  May  2,  1868,  Charles  J.  Curtis,  son  of  the  Rector, 
was  admitted  candidate  for  Holy  Orders.  In  1869,  Dr.  Curtis 
reported  great  improvements  in  St.  Matthew's  Church  building, 
the  old  flat  roof  replaced  by  high  open  one,  enlargement  of 
east  end  for  recess  chancel,  vestry,  and  organ  room,  chancel 
lighted  by  handsome  triplet  window  of  stained  glass.  Cost  of 
all  $1,600.  Communicants  55  ;  contributions  almost  wholly 
from  present  or  former  members  of  the  parish.  Dr.  Curtis' s  last 
report  was  made  in  1871.  Communicants  then  59,  offerings 
$502.51,  of  which  $316.51  for  Rector's  salary.  The  Doctor 
entered  into  the  Rest  prepared  for  the  people  of  God  on  April 
10,  1872.  The  Bishop  in  his  address  at  Convention  said  as  to 
him  :  "  The  Church  in  the  Diocese  has,  during  the  past  year, 
experienced  a  very  heavy  loss  in  the  death  of  the  Rev.  M.  A. 
Curtis,  D.  D.,  Rector  of  St.  Matthew's  Church,  Hillsboro.  He 
was  endowed  by  nature  with  superior  abilities,  and  his  acquire- 
ments both  in  theology  and  in  science  were  very  considerable  ; 
indeed,  in  some  departments  of  natural  science  he  had  no  su- 
perior in  this  country.  He  was  an  able  preacher,  a  sympa- 
thizing and  affectionate  pastor,  and,  above  all,  an  earnest 
Christian  believer.  I  have  known  but  few  men  in  the  ministry 
whose  death  has  been  as  generally  and  deeply  lamented  as  that 
of  Dr.  Curtis.  The  marble  font  was  given  during  the  year 
by  Mrs.  Curtis,  as  a  memorial  of  her  husband.  August  7, 
1872,  Charles  J.  Curtis  was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Atkin- 
son in  this  church,  and  took  charge  of  the  parish.  He  reported 
at  Convention  of  1873  baptisms  18,  confirmed  10,  communi- 
cants 69,  offerings  $430.53.  In  1873,  the  stained  glass  win- 
dow, memorial  of  Dr.  Curtis,  was  given  by  the  ladies  of  the 
parish.  December  14,  1873,  Rev.  C.  J.  Curtis  was  ordained 
priest  by  Bishop  Atkinson  in  St.  Matthew's  Church.  Bishop 
Lay  was  present  and  preached  the  sermon.  June  1,  1874,  St. 
Matthew's  was  first  visited  by  Bishop  Lyman.  In  1875  Mr. 
Curtis  reported  the  church  building  "  thoroughly  and  tastefully 
repaired  within  and  without,  in  a  churchly  manner,  at  a  cost  of 
about  $1,000,  including  a  tower  and  spire  75  feet  high."  Com- 
municants 77.     In  1877  the  bell  (1,233  lbs.  weight),  was  given 


34 

as  a  memorial  of  John  Henry  Curtis,  who  was  killed  in  1865  at 
the  battle  of  Bentonsville.  The  Bishop's  chair  was  also  put  in 
the  chancel.  November  7,  1879,  the  parish  was  last  visited  by 
Bishop  Atkinson.  He  entered  on  his  rest  January  4,  1881. 
He  was,  without  doubt,  one  of  the  greatest  Bishops  the  Church 
in  America  ever  had.  He  did  more  than  any  to  guide  the 
Church  in  his  Diocese,  and  in  the  South,  through  the  difficul- 
ties which  threatened  it  at  the  close  of  the  civil  war.  Mr.  Cur- 
tis's  last  report  was  at  the  Convention  of  1880  :  Communicants 
74,  aggregate  of  offerings  $845.05.  He  resigned  July  24,1880, 
and  held  his  last  service  August  8th.  The  present  Rector  took 
charge  July  7,  1881.  August  24,  1883,  the  new  organ  was  set 
up  ;  cost  $1,040.  Work  for  this  had  been  going  on  for  years. 
In  1885  the  Rector's  chair  (in  memory  of  S.  M.  M.)  the  lec- 
turn,  the  stalls  and  prayer  desk  were  put  in  the  chancel ;  cost 
$87.32.  In  1887  the  furnace  was  put  in  ;  cost  $200.  July  17, 
1887,  Rev.  William  L,.  Reaney  was  ordained  priest  in  St.  Mat- 
thew's Church.  In  1888  the  new  carpet  was  put  in,  over  the 
whole  floor  ;  cost  $143.  During  the  last  nine  years  the  average 
aggregate  of  offerings  from  this  parish  for  all  objects,  not  in- 
cluding Rector's  salary,  has  been  $663. 

And  now,  brethren,  let  us  end  by  taking  a  summary  view  of 
what  has  been  accomplished  since  the  organization  of  the  parish  66 
years  ago,  in  1824.  Part  of  it  we  readily  see,  in  the  church, 
the  furniture  of  it,  the  church  yard,  and  the  rectory  all  in  good 
order,  and,  with  God's  blessing,  and  our  and  our  success- 
ors' care,  equivalent  to  a  right  good  little  endowment  for  the 
parish  for  years  to  come,  leaving  the  people  free  to  do  much  for 
objects  outside  of  themselves.  Not  that  neither  we  nor  our  chil- 
dren need  think  of  any  farther  endowment,  nor  that  either  we 
or  they  may  limit  our  care  to  keeping  everything  in  good  order 
as  it  is.  No,  in  the  very  uncertain  business  outlook  of  our 
community,  and  the  loss  of  ability  to  sustain  the  parish  which 
may  arise  from  changes  by  death  and  removal,  it  would  be  a 
very  wise  thing  to  provide  for  some  money  income  by  a  small 
endowment.  And  as  to  care  of  property  we  have,  there  are 
not  only  repairs  to  be  thought  of,  and  the  replacing  of  things 
worn  out,  but  the  addition  of  things  desirable  to  have  all  in 
harmony.     In  addition  to  all  thus  done  by  the  people  of  the 


35 

parish,  much,  very  much,  has  been  done,  more,  I  verily  be- 
lieve, all  through  its  history,  for  Diocesan  objects  and  objects 
beyond  the  Diocese,  than  by  most  parishes  of  its  size,  and 
moreover  in  much  better  way,  and  on  much  better  principles, 
than  in  most  of  them  ;  and  I  believe  God's  blessing  has  gone 
with  the  parish  largely  on  that  account.  Brethren,  take,  I  be- 
seech you,  the  advice  of  one  who  has  seen  a  large  region  sadly 
blighted  mainly  by  departure  from  proper  ways  of  freely  giving 
of  God's  good  gifts,  in  return  for  His  many  blessings,  to  carry 
on  His  work  ;  and  never  depart  from  the  good  ways  in  which 
you  have  been  carefully  trained  for  many  years  by  good  and 
faithful  pastors. 

And,  now  passing  on  to  the  Holy  Ordinances  connected  with 
the  spiritual  life  of  the  Church  in  all  its  members,  and  which 
are  so  very  important  in  the  consideration  of  what  a  parish 
has  existed  for,  let  us  observe  first  those  in  which  only  a  few 
are  directly,  though  .many  indirectly,  concerned.  First,  of 
Marriages.  Of  these,  in  the  history  of  the  parish  there  have 
been  just  ninety-nine.  So  many  couples  have  been  joined  to- 
gether in  holy  wedlock  with  the  blessing  of  the  Church,  198 
people  having  taken  on  themselves  the  solemn  vows  required 
by  the  Church  of  those  who  would  live  together  after  God's 
ordinance  in  the  holy  estate  of  matrimony,  after  being  solemnly 
warned  that  it  is  an  estate  or  condition  not  to  be  entered  into 
unadvisedly  or  lightly,  but  reverently,  discreetly,  advisedly, 
soberly  and  in  the  fear  of  God.  The  Church  has  been  very 
well  aware  all  along  that  such  couples  could  very  easily,  if  not 
here,  in  some  other  State,  for  very  slight  reasons  not  allowed 
by  God's  law,  have  the  solemn  bond  dissolved  ;  but  she,  loyal 
to  her  I^ord,  has  ever,  and  will  ever,  do  all  she  can  to  preserve 
it  as  indeed  a  holy  estate,  a  holy  wedlock  not  lightly  to  be  un- 
loosed by  unrighteous  human  laws,  to  the  misery  and  unhap- 
piness  not  only  of  persons  united  by  this  bond,  but  of  many 
others  closely  connected  with  them.  L,et  us  thank  God  that 
in  our  part  of  the  world  the  holy  estate  is  more  valued,  and 
therefore  adds  more  to  the  true  happiness  of  our  people,  than 
in  some  States  to  the  north  of  us.  And  let  us  pray  that  loose 
notions  on  the  subject  may  not  only  never  find  a  foothold  in 
our  region,  but  by  degrees  be  entirely  rooted  out  of  our  whole 


36 

land,  for  the  honor  of  our  civilization  and  the  peace  and  hap- 
piness of  famity  life.  Second,  of  Ordinations.  Seven  different 
persons  have  at  this  chancel  taken  upon  themselves  the  solemn 
vows  of  Ordination,  namely,  Messrs.  Otey  (late  Bishop  of 
Tennessee),  Johnston,  Spear,  Gries,  Jacocks,  Curtis  and 
Reaney.  This  was  especially,  of  course,  for  them,  though  also 
for  those  who  witnessed,  for  the  Church  in  general,  and  for 
those  in  particular  to  whom  and  for  whom  they  were  to  offi- 
ciate, full  of  solemnity,  seriousness,  responsibility  ;  for,  to  the 
office  of  Deacon,  or  to  the  higher  one  of  Priest,  in  the  Church 
of  God,  they  were  solemnly  set  apart,  with  the  laying  on  of 
hands,  by  one  of  the  successors  of  the  Apostles  set  over  the 
Church  in  this  Diocese.  A  matter  was  it  for  most  careful  and 
pra}rerful  preparation  on  the  part  of  the  candidates,  on  the  part 
of  those,  clerical  and  lay,  who  gave  the  certificates  necessary 
before  they  could  enter  the  ministrj^,  on  the  part  of  all  who 
joined  in  the  Ember  Day  prayers,  on  the  part  of  those  who  had 
charge  of  their  instruction  and  examination  and  presentation, 
on  the  part  of  the  preacher  at  the  ordination,  and  on  the  part 
of  the  Bishop  ordaining.  Awful,  indeed,  to  all  concerned,  if 
fully  impressed  with  a  sense  of  the  responsibility  of  all  who  are 
called  to  the  office  of  the  priesthood ;  and  who  can  fail  to  be  so 
impressed  who  properly  observes  the  Ember  seasons,  who 
studies  the  Ordinal,  who  prays  regularly,  not  merely  in  a  gen- 
eral way,  in  the  prayer  appointed  for  the  purpose  in  the  morn- 
ing and  evening  prayer  of  the  Church,  for  the  Bishops  and 
Clergy,  but  in  particular,  and*  in  all  earnestness  of  loving  in- 
terest, for  his  own  Bishop  and  for  his  own  pastor? 

The  number  of  persons  baptized  in  the  parish,  as  appears 
from  the  records,  has  been  6yg.  These  all,  old  and  young  (the 
greater  part  infants  unable  to  answer  for  themselves),  were,  in 
this  holy  rite  (ordained  for  the  purpose  by  Christ  Himself,)  sol- 
emnly dedicated  to  the  service  of  Almighty  God  in  the  Church 
of  Christ,  or  did  solemnly  dedicate  themselves  to  that  high  and 
holy  service.  Made  members  of  Christ,  children  of  God,  and 
inheritors  of  the  kingdom  of  Heaven,  great  was  the  work  upon 
which  they  then  entered,  even  to  live  the  life  of  Christ,  to  walk 
as  good  children  of  their  Heavenly  Father,  to  believe  in  and 
never  lose  sight  of  their  Heavenly  Inheritance.     In  this  view 


37 

* 

of  the  matter,  what  a  little  army  of  Christian  people  arises  be- 
fore us  as  we  think  of  the  679  given  to  God  through  Christ,  at 
the  Holy  Font,  in  this  small  parish,  during  its  short  life.  And 
what  a  real  thing  their  consecration  to  the  Christian  life  should 
appear  when  we  think  that  all  of  them  made  vows  of  solemn 
renunciation  of  the  devil  and  all  his  works,  the  vain  pomp  and 
glory  of  the  world,  with  all  covetous  desires  of  the  same,  and 
the  sinful  lusts  of  the  flesh,  so  as  not  to  follow  nor  be  led  by 
them  ;  of  belief  in  all  the  articles  of  the  Christain  faith  as  con- 
tained in  the  Apostles'  Creed,  with  earnest  desire  to  be  baptized 
in  that  faith,  and  of  obediently  keeping  God's  holy  will  and 
commandments,  and  walking  in  the  same  all  the  days  of  their 
life ;  when  we  remember  that  before  these  vows  were  made, 
solemn  preparation  was  made  by  prayers  and  exhortation,  and 
that  after  they  were  made,  and  before  the  Sacrament  was  ad- 
ministered in  the  Name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  the  supplications  of  the  people  were  offered 
that  the  pure  water  (provided  as  an  emblem  of  the  washing 
away  of  sin,  and  the  purity  of  life  to  follow)  should  be  sanctified 
to  the  mystical  washing,  and  that  those  baptized  therein  should 
receive  the  fulness  of  grace  and  ever  remain  in  the  number  of 
God's  faithful  children  through  Jesus  Christ  our  L,ord  ;  and  as 
we  remember  that  after  the  baptism  they  were  formally  re- 
ceived into  the  congregation  of  Christ's  flock,  and  signed  with 
the  sign  of  the  Cross  in  token  that  they  should  not  be  ashamed 
to  confess  the  faith  of  Christ  crucified,  and  manfully  to  fight 
under  His  banner  against  sin,  the  world,  and  the  devil,  and 
continue  Christ's  faithful  soldiers  and  servants  unto  their  life's 
end. 

Those  confirmed  in  the  parish  number  262. 

This  is  as  large  a  number,  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the 
parish,  as  usual,  giving  an  average  of  4  each  year.  But, 
brethren,  we  must  honestly,  humbly  and  sadly,  acknowledge 
that  it  is  not  what  it  should  be,  it  is  far  from  what  the  solemn 
consecration  in  Holy  Baptism  presupposes,  it  falls  sadly  short 
of  what  the  Church  expects  when  she  uses  so  solemn  a  service 
of  dedication,  and  so  provides  through  her  pastors  and  teachers 
(in  addition  to  the  responsibility  of  parents  and  sponsors  which 
she  would  have  as  real  as  possible)  for  the  training  and  instruc- 


38 

tion  of  all  her  children  to  bring  them  to  the  confirmation  of 
their  baptismal  vows,  to  the  self-consecration  of  mature  years 
of  discretion,  to  the  Apostolic  Blessing  and  the  special  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  necessary  for  the  going  out  into  the  world  to 
face  its  enmity,  its  trials,  its  battles.  It  is  true  that  many  of 
those  baptized  in  infancy  died  before  reaching  the  age  of  dis- 
cretion. It  is  true  that  more  moved  away  than  is  usual  in  most 
parishes.  But  after  making  every  reasonable  allowance,  we 
must  still  confess  that  in  the  number  of  those  who  have  con- 
secrated themselves  by  their  own  act  in  Confirmation  to  the 
service  of  the  Lord  their  God,  in  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
the  Saviour  of  the  world,  relying  upon  the  help  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  the  results  of  the  Church's  prayers,  exhortations,  and 
instructions,  are  not  what  they  ought  to  be.  Many,  we  must 
fear,  have,  with  the  consciousness  of  solemn  vows  resting  on 
them  which  in  their  hearts  they  know  to  be  binding,  gone  out 
into  the  world,  and  though  not  giving  up  prayer  for  God's 
help,  and  though  hearing  God's  word  continually,  and  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  of  His  salvation  to  a  lost  world,  still 
have  allowed  themselves  to  be  choked  with  the  cares,  and  the 
riches,  and  the  pleasures  of  this  life,  and  have  borne  no  fruit 
to  perfection  ;  as  if  it  were  wise  and  safe  to  wait  for  God  to 
make  them  by  some  very  much  louder  call  than  the  ordinary 
teaching  of  His  Holy  Word  or  by  some  terrible  visitation,  to 
give  themselves  to  Him,  and  seek  the  best  gifts  of  His  grace, 
so  needful  continually  to  all  who  would  be  saved.  Would 
that  I  knew  how  to  so  express  myself  as  to  lead  any  who 
may  now  be  holding  themselves  back  from  grace,  or  who  after 
putting  their  hand  to  the  plow,  have  either  turned  back  or  do 
not  give  themselves  as  unreservedly  as  they  should  to  follow- 
ing their  Master,  to  see  the  danger  and  the  unwisdom  of  such 
a  course  and  to  so  see  it  as  to  turn  from  it  in  all  earnestness. 

Those  who  have  been  enrolled  in  the  parish  as  communicants 
number  375.  This  number  also,  when  we  consider  the  small  - 
ness  of  the  population,  and  our  share  in  it  (in  the  sadly  divided 
condition  of  Christendom)  and  simply  compare  onrselves  with 
other  parishes  of  like  size  and  opportunity,  may  be  very  fair 
and  even  creditable,  but,  when  we  consider  the  Blessed  Saviour's 
command  to  His  Apostles,  and,  through  them,  to  their  sue- 


39 

cessors,  to  go  out  into  the  world  and  to  baptize  all  people  every- 
where, from  all  nations,  thus  initiating  them  into  union  with 
Him  by  a  Holy  Sacrament  ;  and  that  on  the  evening  before  His 
death  He  appointed  another  Sacrament  to  be  kept  in  perpetual, 
thankful  remembrance  of  His  precious  death  and  sacrifice  for 
the  sins  of  the  world,  by  all  who  desired  to  be  saved  by  His  pre- 
cious bloodshedding  ;  then  we  must  see  and  acknowledge,  with 
pain  and  grief,  that  this  number  is  sadly  wanting  as  an  evidence 
of  the  life  and  devotion  of  the  people  who  have  belonged  to  this 
parish.  And  this  is  supposing  that  all  of  the  375  have  been 
truly  all  that  they  professed  to  be  ;  not  perfect  (I  don't  mean 
that,  alas,  who  is  ?),  but  earnestly  desirous  to  do  their  duty, 
seeking  anxiously  for  God's  grace,  and  not  willing  to  lose  any 
opportunity  to  share  in  it.  When  we  seriously  consider  how 
much  is  lacking  in  this  way,  and  tben  think  of  the  many  who 
have  died,  without  in  this  Holy  Sacrament  showing  forth  their 
loving  remembrance  of  Christ  their  IyOrd,  and  the  many  who 
have  moved  away  from  the  parish,  without  being,  by  the  teach- 
ing received  here,  led  thus  to  acknowledge  Christ  as  their  Re- 
deemer, we  must  see  that  this  Church  of  ours  has  not  accom- 
plished its  proper  work  in  bringing  souls,  for  whom  Christ  died, 
to  that  confession  of  Him  which  is  His  due  ;  and  that  there  is 
room  for  much  more  earnest  work  and  earnest  prayer,  ever 
increasing  indeed  continually,  in  order  that  all  may  be  brought 
to  share  in  the  inestimable  benefits  procured  for  His  people 
by  the  sacrifice  of  Himself  which  in  His  Holy  Supper  we 
commemorate.  Brethren  believe  me,  the  plan  of  Christ's 
life  laid  down  for  us  in  the  Baptismal  Offices,  the  Church 
Catechism,  the  Confirmation  Office,  the  Communion  Office, 
Morning  and  Evening  Prayer  and  litany,  and  the  Keeping 
of  the  Christian  Year,  is  as  near  perfect  as  can  be  devised. 
It  only  lacks  earnest  and  faithful  trial  ;  let  us  in  all  humil- 
ity set  ourselves  to  this  work,  and  we  will  assuredly  find 
God's  blessing  abundantly  in  it,  and,  if  we  remember  our  re- 
sponsibility, and  use  our  influence,  will  help  many  others  to  a 
share  in  it. 

And  now  let  us  pass  on  to  our  final  topic,  and  may  God's 
blessing  go  with  us  through  it,  and  our  after  consideration  of 
the  whole  matter. 


40 

The  number  of  Deaths  and  Burials  recorded  in  the 
Parish  Registers  is  242.  This  may  seem  a  small  number 
when  we  look  back  over  66  years,  but,  when  we  consider  that 
it  is  fully  three  times  our  average  Sunday  morning  congregation 
it  will  appear  larger.  And  then  imagine  the  242  as  buried  around 
us.  What  a  well  filled  graveyard  it  would  be,  and  what  a  re- 
minder of  death,  the  end  of  a  fleeting  life,  and  of  the  common 
end  of  all,  high  and  low.  Again,  think  how  many  of  them 
were  children,  how  many  young  men  in  their  prime  of  strength, 
how  many  young  women  in  their  freshness  of  grace  and  beauty, 
and  alas  how  few  arriving  at  three-score  and  ten,  and  what  a 
warning  is  it  to  us  to  use  our  time  as  not  abusing  it ;  what  an  ex- 
hortation to  us  to  seek  grace  from  above,  by  use  of  means  pro- 
vided for  us  here,  to  fit  ourselves  for  eternity.  L,et  us  then, 
brethren,  think,  at  least  as  often  as  we  meet  in  the  Lord's  house, 
of  those  who  He  around  us  in  this  beautiful  and  peaceful  church- 
yard, awaiting  the  resurrection,  after  having  had  the  same  op- 
portunity within  these  courts  which  we  have,  two  of  them  in 
the  chancel  speaking  in  the  Lord's  Name  and  dispensing  His 
Sacraments,  the  rest  in  the  pews,  following  their  leading  and 
receiving  grace  and  instruction  through  them  ;  and  let  us  re- 
solve to  use  our  opportunities,  carefully,  earnestly,  persistently, 
for  the  salvation  of  our  souls. 


••  •■■<■■.' 
■     . 


t 


,-. 


